From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Despite the issuance of a certificate of return to Chief Ugochukwu Agballah as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the national leadership of the party, the crisis rocking the party has taken a new dimension.
One of the claimants to the position, Adolphus Ude said that the purported certificate was inconsequential, disclosing that they are already in court challenging Agballah’s membership of the party.
Agballlah was on Monday in Abuja presented with the certificate at the APC national secretariat, ending weeks of speculations.
But reacting to the development in Enugu on Tuesday, Ude who heads a faction of the party said the presentation of the certificate to Agballah was an exercise in futility.
Ude told journalists at a press briefing that “we are not perturbed; we heard the news but we are not losing sleep over it because it is a jamboree; anybody can parade a paper or whatever you call it.
“The fact remains that Ugo Agballah is not even a member of our party and this is subject of litigation before an FCT High Court. He is not even a member of our party. Anyone who is dealing with him is wasting his time because the action will not last, it won’t survive judicial review.”
Also, one of the lawyers handling a series of litigations by members of the party, Chukwudi Igwe also declared that only the court would determine the authentic leadership of the party in Enugu State.
“We have a suit pending, which is questioning the said congress, which was held at a private property, as against the congress regulation of our party.
“Those that attended the congress that produced Ugo Agballah were not members of our party; the only congress which the party can rely on is the congress that produced Comrade A. C. Ude as the chairman of the party.
“I also want you to note that no State chairman has been sworn-in as the chairman of the party; we are confident that Ugo Agballah will not be sworn-in. The germane question is whether he is a member of the party,” Igwe said.
A member of the party, Uduji Kingsley is before a Federal High Court in the FCT, Abuja, seeking an order of the court to stop Agballah from parading himself as the chairman of the party in Enugu State.
Other defendants in the suit are Dr Ben Nwoye, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.