Elder statesman Chike Obidigbo has attributed the ongoing turmoil within the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the greed and intolerance exhibited by successive leaders of the party. He remarked that since its inception in 2002 by Chekwas Okorie, the party has behaved like a “spoilt child.”
In a statement he issued, Obidigbo expressed his discontent, highlighting that much of APGA’s history has been marred by leadership disputes and structural instability. He noted a recent Instagram post by Bianca Ojukwu, the wife of former APGA leader Odumegwu Ojukwu, as an indication of her concerns regarding the party’s current situation.
“If my instincts are correct, I believe the elegant lady [Bianca Ojukwu] must be dismayed by the state of affairs in the All Progressives Grand Alliance, where her husband has been recognized as the ultimate leader,” he stated.
Obidigbo continued, “Since the founding of APGA in 2002 by Chief Chekwas Okorie and other well-meaning individuals, including respected figures from various sectors, the party has consistently acted like a spoilt child. Leadership crises and structural instability have been its defining features, primarily due to the greed and intolerance of those in power.”
He remarked on the party’s troubled history, recalling how Chief Victor Umeh, who rose from national treasurer to chairman, controversially supplanted Okorie. The tensions between Umeh and Maxi Okwu further kept APGA in the headlines for leadership disputes and corruption allegations.
The turmoil persisted even after Victor Ike Oye assumed national chairmanship. Following his suspension, Chief Nwabueze Okafor’s tenure was marked by friction with Chief Willie Obiano until his untimely death. Oye remained Obiano’s favored chairman until the 2019 national convention, which sparked renewed calls for the chairmanship to be held outside Anambra State.
This shift led to a contentious convention process that resulted in the emergence of two rival national chairmen: Chief Edozie Njoku and Chief Ike Oye, both of whom subsequently sought judicial resolution of their conflict.
By July of this year, both the courts and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognized Edozie Njoku as the legitimate national chairman of APGA. However, Obidigbo noted that the party seems trapped in a cycle of ill-advised candidate impositions, internal strife, and political greed, with the current Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, reportedly supporting the Oye faction, fueling yet another leadership battle.
Obidigbo concluded by suggesting that these developments must weigh heavily on Bianca Ojukwu, caught in the middle of the ongoing struggles for control within APGA. He urged party members to reflect on historical lessons and prioritize unity for the future.
