Tension has escalated within the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the unresolved refund of the N3 million nomination fees collected from local government chairmanship aspirants for the controversial September 21, 2024, local government elections.
The Imo APC, under the leadership of State Chairman Dr. Macdonald Ebere, had mandated the payment of N3 million as a compulsory nomination fee from chairmanship aspirants.
Following public outcry and internal disputes, the state governor reportedly directed that the funds be refunded to aspirants in the interest of party unity.

One of the aspirants, Evans Anozie from Owerri Municipal, has taken legal action by filing a suit at a High Court in Owerri, seeking N50 million in special, general, and exemplary damages.
Through his legal counsel, led by Professor Francis Dike SAN, Anozie alleged that after paying the nomination fee, he was unfairly excluded from contesting for the chairmanship seat.
The exclusion, according to the claim, was orchestrated by the APC chairman, Dr. Ebere, who allegedly favored his nominee, the caretaker chairman, as the sole candidate for the position.
Anozie’s lawyers stated that the refund was agreed upon to maintain party harmony and was publicly endorsed by the state governor.
Subsequently, Anozie was issued a cheque for the N3 million, drawn on the APC’s account with UBA PLC and signed by Dr. Ebere and two others.
However, the plaintiff claims that the cheque was dishonored on two occasions—October 16 and 18, 2024—despite assurances that the account had sufficient funds.
The lawyers accused Dr. Ebere of countermanding the cheque without providing any official explanation for the non-payment.
The plaintiff contended that the delay and non-payment have caused him significant hardship, including lost time and resources.
His lawyers argued that the actions of the APC chairman amounted to impunity, warranting exemplary damages.
“The plaintiff will argue at the hearing that the second defendant’s act of impunity, inducing the breach of payment, attracts exemplary damages.
When a person acts with impunity, believing they would face little or no consequences, the court can award exemplary damages,” the legal team asserted.
The case underscores growing tensions within the Imo APC, as the unresolved refund issue continues to fuel internal divisions ahead of future elections.
Observers are keenly watching the court proceedings, which could set a precedent for handling disputes within political parties in the state.
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