National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

As the battle for the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rages on, the factional group of the National Executive Committee of the party led by Alhaji Sadiq Masalla has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alleging that a document it submitted to the commission was missing.

Meanwhile, barring any last minute adjournment, the Enugu State High Court will today rule on whether the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has the power to summon the party’s National Executive Council meeting scheduled to hold tomorrow August 1, 2012 in view of the restraining order barring him from conducting party affairs.

Masalla spoke to journalists in Abuja in relation to Last weekend’s letter by INEC recognising the incumbent National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh and the National Secretary, Alhaji Sani.

He said contrary to the assertion contained in INEC’ memo, the group had met all the conditions for convening the NEC meeting during which Umeh and Shinkafi were both suspended from the party.

Masalla said the NEC meeting was convened with the support of 98 NEC members of the party who all appended their signatures to in a letter of invitation sent to INEC.

The court, presided by the state Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezulike, last Thursday stopped Umeh from convening any meeting, convention or expelling anybody from the party.

But in a counter application which came before the court Monday, Umeh challenged the jurisdiction of the court and the locus standi of the applicant, Mr Jude Okoli to institute the suit.