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APGA crisis: Okorie refutes expulsion report

• Challenges court verdict

From CHUKS EHIRIM, Abuja

THE final truth is yet to be ascertained over who now calls the shots at the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the Chief Chekwas Okorie still lays claim its leadership despite recent media reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja had sacked him and upheld his purported expulsion from the party by the Chief Victor Umeh-led faction. Okorie slamming the sham ruling the verdict facilitated by Umeh and his aides, he sworn no backing off from the tussle until the truth is unveiled.

The embattled party leader described the purported report of his removal as the National Chairman of the crisis ridden party as "wicked."

"We are hurt by the magnitude of falsehood that was published by a section of the media as the content of the judgment of Justice Adamu Bello in suit No FHC/AB/CS/38/2008.," he said in statement dated November 13, but made available to the National Daily at the weekend.

"The court did not uphold my purported expulsion by the Umeh group as wickedly published by a section of the media," Okorie said. He noted that "the so-called expulsion which was contained in the judgment of Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf on 16th April, 2008 is being challenged in a pending appeal suit No CA/A/263/ 08.
" It would have amounted to a sacrilegious judicial recklessness for a judge of the Federal High Court to uphold my purported expulsion when the matter is a live issue pending before an appellate court," he said.

The APGA chieftain further argued that "the Court in its Judgment, did not order INEC(Independent National Electoral Commission ) to recognise chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA. Giving such order would have amounted to sitting in judgment over a suit pending before Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah where we are challenging the earlier recognition given to Victor Umeh by INEC."

He added: "The court did not uphold the purported election of Victor Umeh in a convention that is unknown to the party, INEC and the law"

"It is only a properly convened convention of APGA that can remove a party Chairman like my humble self according to the party constitution registered with INEC," he said.
"It is also in the same token that only a properly convened convention that can elect a new Chairman. It is absurd to imagine that the purported convention of the party was convened by Victor Umeh. Who claimed to have been elected by the same convention," Okorie said.

Okorie however said that he had applied to the court, for the certified true copy of the judgment as well as the court records, "to enable us promptly file our appeal against the judgment and a motion for stay of executive of the judgment."