From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
As controversies continue to trail the sudden recognition of Edozie Njoku as the authentic chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ifeanyi Ubah has taken a swipe on Governor Chukwuma Soludo for accusing him wrongly.
Anambra State government, through APGA Media Warriors, a group, led by Chinedu Obigwe, had accused some National Assembly members from the state, especially Ubah and Tony Nwoye, of being behind the crisis in the party.
Obigwe said: “The unrepentant mercenary called Owelle Mbaso, the clueless Ifeanyi Ubah, his pay master, the political camp of the motor park senator, called Tony Nwoye, and others, that are jubilating over the recent unjustifiable action of INEC will, at the end of the day, bury their heads in shame because the Court of Appeal judgment, INEC is purporting to be obeying, will not withstand the test of proper judicial scrutiny.
Reacting to the allegations, Uba described it as the ‘last kick of a dying horse’, adding that Governor Soludo is very jittery over his rising political profile in the state.
Ubah, who spoke through his media aide, Kame Chucks, described the allegation of sponsoring Njoku against Soludo and APGA as baseless and a sign of defeat.
“The issue is that Governor Soludo is very jittery over the rising political profile of Ubah in Anambra State because everybody is already aware that Ubah is going to be the next governor. So, whatever happens in the camp of Soludo, he will call Ubah’s name. Even if he is quarrelling with his wife, he will accuse Ubah. If he goes to ease himself and it doesn’t come out, he will accuse Ubah.”
He, however, denied ever sponsoring the crisis in APGA and attributed the claims to the looming image of Ubah in the political landscape of Anambra State, especially ahead of the 2025 governorship election in the state.
APGA National Chairman, Njoku, denied the allegation of being sponsored by some moneybags, especially National Assembly members from Anambra State and said he has taken over the party for further official engagements.
Njoku, while speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Ben Okoro, said they were not interested in who is sponsoring who but what matters most to them is that they have taken over the leadership of APGA as directed by court and recognised by INEC.
Also, APGA National Publicity Secretary, Ejimofor Opara, said: “This is what you get when you have a willing buyer and willing seller. It is of no consequence to us whatsoever whoever is sponsoring who.
“This is familiar terrain for us as a party and it is very sad that the same thing is happening over and over again. Njoku is carrying a kangaroo paper and looking for a settlement.
“He has been calling for settlement and we have no business with an interloper. You cannot place something on nothing and expect it to stand. Settlement for him is nothing beyond mercantilism. What he plays is mercantile politics and that is not what APGA represents. It is not a party for some few desperate people who go from court to court and to INEC to create a false impression that they have something to offer.
“You see this thing INEC has done, it is akin to a university graduating a student with a court order. You cannot graduate without sitting for examinations and you are graduated in learning and in character. INEC cannot, as of today, produce a certified true copy report of the conduct of any convention held in Owerri and how can they be graduating a student that never attended the university?”