THERE may be no end yet to the crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it would only deal with the Chief Victor Umeh-led faction as the authentic national body of the party.
The INEC stated this through a letter of recognition which it sent to the Umeh-led faction of the APGA on Wednesday in Abuja, stating that it would continue to relate with Umeh as the APGA national chairman.
The letter, which was signed by INEC Secretary, Abdulahi Kaugama, noted that the decision to recognise the position of the APGA national chairman was based on the recent ruling of the Court Appeal, which ordered a stay of execution on the order of the Enugu High Court, which had earlier sacked the Umeh-led APGA NEC.
The INEC letter with Reference number INEC/DPPM&L/APGA/003/T/358, dated May 8, 2013 read in part, "The commission notes the ruling of the Court of Appeal which stayed execution of the order of the Enugu High Court that restrained Chief Victor Umeh from parading himself as APGA National Chairman. Consequently, the commission will continue to relate with Chief Victor Umeh as the national chairman of APGA."
Reacting to the letter from INEC, Umeh, who applauded the commission for the decision, noted that the INEC has continued in its efforts to do everything as a public institution to preserve the rule of law in Nigeria, adding that the development would return the party to its noble position in Nigerian democracy.
"Even after the decision of the Court of Appeal in Enugu on April 8 that restored me as the authentic national chairman of our party, some other people have continued to parade themselves as APGA national chairman, knowing that this country is rooted in the rule of law and that there is nothing anybody can do to disobey the decisions of the Nigerian court, how much more an appellant court, we patiently waited for the INEC, having informed it of the Appeal Court's verdict to take its decision on who to deal with as APGA national chairman.
With this letter of recognition from INEC, it becomes clear that APGA does not have a factional chairman, the party has only one chairman which is recognised by the commission, the party's constitution as well as the Nigerian Constitution."
The Guardian