Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Abia State, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, has dismissed as impostors, former National Chairman of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie; and Edozie Njoku, who parades himself as the party’s presidential candidate.
Ehiemere said that Okorie had long ceased to be a member of the party following his defection to other parties.
This is as Ehiemere has urged the people of South-East to support APGA “and make it a regional party for power negotiations so that the zone will not continue to be political orphans going cap in hand begging for recognition.”
The APGA Chairman who spoke at a press conference in Umuahia, said that Okorie who hails from Bende Local Government Area of the state, had long been expelled for anti-party.
He expressed shock at Okorie’s claims at the presidential ticket of APGA when he no longer belongs to the party, and accused him of colluding with enemies of the party to destabilise APGA.
According to him: “In recent times, Chekwas Okorie has joined his fellow mercantile politicians in their evil attempt to intentionally destabilize APGA by parading himself as the presidential candidate of the party, a claim which he knows is false and fraudulent.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is on record that Chief Chekwas Okorie, who hails from Alayi, Bende L.G.A of Abia State is not a member of APGA.
“Chekwas Okorie was expelled from APGA in 2003 for anti-party activities and embezzlement of funds and few years after his suspension from the party, he floated a mushroom party which he called UPGA in 2012 and later renamed it UPP (United Progressive Party) which was dead on arrival.
“When Chief Chekwas Okorie could not make any political and pecuniary gains from his floated political parties, he shamelessly joined APC, thinking that he will use APC to advance his political merchandise , a plan which failed him.
“Let it be on record that when Chief Okorie could not actualize his purpose to use APC to feed fat, then, out of political frustration and desperation, he somersaulted and found his fellow mercantile politician in the person of Edozie Njoku, whom he has partnered with in a failed outing and attempt to distract the National Chairman of this great party, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye.
“For purposes of the records, Chekwas Okorie is not a member of APGA let alone being the presidential candidate of APGA in the 2023 general election.
“Chekwas Okorie has lost his political value and credibility as far as Nigerian politics is concerned and all his efforts now is to see how he can make out a living by joining Edozie Njoku to parade themselves as the National Chairman and Presidential candidate of APGA respectively, a claim which they know is false and fraudulent.
“APGA Abia State therefore reiterates the fact that the duo of Edozie Njoku and Chekwas Okorie are political impostors who want to reap where they have not sown and the general public and all Nigerians should beware of these mercantile political liabilities who are being used by enemies of APGA to distract our indefatigable and ebullient National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye in the good works he is doing in the party.”
According to Ehiemere, APGA has only one presidential candidate in the forthcoming 2023 general election “in the person of Prof. Peter Umeadi.”
He warned Okorie and his co-travelers not to use the name of APGA to defraud unsuspecting members of the public or be handed over to security agencies.
The Abia State chapter of the party passed a vote of confidence on the Victor Oye-led National leadership of the party.
