Court restrains Massalla, Okwenna from acting as APGA chair, secretary

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—The internal crisis rocking All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, , deepened, yesterday, as an Abuja High Court, restrained factional leaders of the party, Sadiq Massalla and Ifenna Okwenna from parading as acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary of the party.

The order was sequel to an ex-parte application by lead counsel to the party, Chief Patrick Ikweato, SAN.

The court also restrained Massalla and Okwenna from in any manner whatsoever, from convening, calling, organising or holding any meeting of any organ of APGA and or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever in the affairs of APGA at any level, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice which was adjourned for  hearing till August 16.

National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh and National Secretary Alhaji Sani Shinkafi had in the application, urged the court to restrain the duo from interfering in the affairs of the party, saying they were suspended from the party since June 19, 2012.

Shinkafi averred in an affidavit in support of the application that the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants were members of National Working Committee, NWC, of the party until June 19, when they began a dissident campaign against the national leadership of the party.

He averred that “as required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act (as amended), APGA held a National Convention on February 10, 2010. Prior to the February 10, 2010 convention we held a National Convention on December 2, 2006.

“The National Conventions of  APGA held on December 2, 2006 and February 10, 2010 were duly monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,  which thereafter published reports of the convention.

“As the National Secretary of APGA, I am aware that the party has 29 NWC members, I am also aware that under the Constitution of the party, only the National Chairman (or I on the directive of the National Chairman) can validly convene or summon the meeting of the NWC o f APGA.”