The crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Abia State chapter ahead of the 2023 general elections at the weekend took another turn as a faction loyal to the leadership of Reverend Augustine Ehiemere on Sunday suspended a chieftain of the party and a factional gubernatorial candidate of the party; Sir Chikwe Udensi.
Sir Udensi, one of the foundational members of the party has been in court with the Reverend Augustine Ehiemere led faction after the conduct of parallel primaries of the party in Umuahia, the state capital that produced two gubernatorial flag bearers; Prof. Gregory Ibe and Chikwe Udensi respectively.
While Ehiemere led leadership maintained that Prof. Ibe emerged through a transparent primary election that took place Kolping Center, Chief Udensi is also claiming that the primary which held at a hotel in Umuahia that saw his emergence as the governorship candidate of the party was genuine.
In a statement singed on Sunday by the Ehiemere led State Working Committee (SWC); Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, Chairman, Sir Sunday Onukwubiri, Secretary, Bede Nmerem, Organising Secretary; Lucky Erondu, Zonal Chairman, South; Silas Chukwu, State Financial Secretary; Simeon Omeje, Assistant Publicity Secretary, among other 16 members of the SWC announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of Chief Udensi, citing articles 21 (1) (g) & (k); 22(2) (b-d) & (I) of APGA Constitution as grounds for his suspension.
The Ehiemere faction disclosed that the party reached agreement to suspend Chief Udensi after they found him guilty of sponsoring and supporting one Prince Nnanna Ukaegbu who was suspended from the party by the National Leadership of the party in 2014 against the party in Abia State, thereby bringing the party to public odium.
Continuing, the party went ahead to claim that Chief Udensi was working with some undemocratic forces in the state to cause crisis in the party, an act which they claimed to amounts to gross violation of APGA Constitution.
They further alleged that Chief Udensi conducts himself in such a manner that brought the image of the party into public radicle and disrepute contrary to Article 22 (2) (d) of the Constitution.
The Ehiemere led faction also claimed that Chief Udensi publishes and distributes to the media false articles or statements with the intention of misinforming the public that there was crisis in the party and or factions within the party in Abia State contrary to Article 21 (1) (g) of the Constitution.
The factional gubernatorial candidate was also said to have been suspended for reportedly divulging the proceedings and decisions of the party without express authorization thereby misinforming and misrepresenting to the public the decisions/proceedings of the party with the aim of causing disaffection and bringing the party to public odium and ridicule.
Amongst other things listed include “Flagrant disobedience of party constitution and decisions contrary to the constitution of the party.
“The general public and relevant institutions should take note of this development and desist forthwith from having any dealings with SIR CHIKWE UDENSI in his capacity as a member of APGA.”
Chief Udensi until the time of this report is yet to be reached as his mobile line has not been going through.
