The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has described as a “travesty of justice”, the judgment of an Abuja High Court that nullified the outcome of its governorship primary election in Abia.
The National Chairman of the party, Chief Ike Oye, made the remark in Umuahia on Friday, when he inaugurated the party’s Campaign Council in the state, ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
The court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, on Wednesday invalidated the candidacy of Prof. Gregory Ibe and ordered a fresh primary election by the party.
Oye, however, opined that the judgment “will not stand the scrutiny of the appellate court”.
He, therefore, advised the party supporters “not to lose sleep over the judgement”.
He assured them that Ibe remained the authentic flag bearer, having emerged from the party’s May 29 primary election.
Oye alleged that the orchestrated attacks on the party by anti-democratic forces were designed “to possibly destabilise the party, which they considered their major threat”.
He, however, assured the people that Ibe would emerge the next Abia governor, saying that his predictions never failed him.
He said that the party was in full support of Ibe’s candidacy and urged the people to join forces with it to liberate Abia from decades of enslavement.
In a remark, Ibe said that he was not perturbed by the judgement “because I know that it will not stand the test of time”.
He said that his candidacy had sent panic into the enemies of progress in the state.
“This is why they are throwing punches from different directions to possibly distract me,” he said.
He said that his mission was to give birth to a new Abia and that his priority was to stamp out poverty, infrastructural deficit and gross underdevelopment of the state.
The governorship hopeful said that his campaign had commenced in full force.
“I, therefore, call on all Abia people, who sincerely yearn for positive change, to stand firm behind me,” he said.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the party, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, urged all the candidates, the campaign council and different support groups to work in synergy for the party’s overall success in 2023.
Ehiemere urged party faithful, who were aggrieved with the outcome of the primaries, to bury the hatchet and join hands with the party to rescue the state.
“But if anybody fails to join us in our rescue mission but chooses to serve as a mole and agent of destabilisation, such a person and their sponsors will end up in shame.
“We are prepared to resist and withstand them.
“Nobody will derail the current process of giving birth to a new Abia, where our children’s future will not be mortgaged for the selfish interest of few unpatriotic elements,” Ehiemere said.
In an acceptance speech, Mr Longman Nwachukwu, the Director-General of the campaign council, thanked the governorship candidate for finding them worthy to serve in the council.
Nwachukwu said that members of the campaign council were conscious of the enormous task placed on their shoulder and promised that the council would work assiduously to ensure victory for APGA candidates in the election. (NAN)
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