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As Njoku Moves from APGA to Lead National Rescue Movement…

The Nigerian political space is set to experience a change with the emergence of Chief Edozie Njoku as National Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), writes Alex Enumah.
A major bane of the Nigerian political environment is the absence or dying of viable and credible opposition political parties. When this current political dispensation started 26 years ago, despite the very few numbers of political parties, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) stood as credible opposition to the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and ensure policies of government were in the best interest of the citizens and country.
Unfortunately, as the number of political parties continue to increase, the voice of the opposition continues to fade out steadily, especially since the coming into power of the All Progressives Congress in 2015.
Today, from the PDP to Labour Party, virtually all opposition parties are battling one crisis or the other, which if care is not taking may lead to their extinction.
However, a ray of hope seems to be coming from the National Rescue Movement which just experienced an infusion from some former members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Chief Edozie Njoku.
Njoku, a former National Chairman of APGA and his team moved into the NRM following a Supreme Court judgement which recognized Mr Sly Ezeokenwa as APGA’s authentic national chairman.
After going to the Supreme Court twice over the issue, in addition to a pending case before the Federal High Court, Abuja, Njoku accepted the verdict of the apex court and decided to move on.
Although, his faction did not say what and where next but the event of the past few days have said it all. Precisely on January 17, 2025, few weeks after he lost the APGA chairmanship, Njoku emerged national chairman of the NRM.
Following several meetings between a committee of the NRM and Njoku’s faction of the APGA, the two parties agreed to come together as NRM, with the then NRM National Chairman, Ambassador Isaac Udeh volunteering to step down and become the National Organizing Secretary. And without mincing words he vowed to use the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State not just to make a statement but to position the NRM as a viable, credible opposition political party in the country.
Speaking shortly after he was declared as National Chairman, Njoku, thanked members of the NRM for giving him the opportunity to serve, promising to take the party to a level that would be accepted by all Nigerians through their support and cooperation.
“I thank everyone, when what happened in APGA happened, a lot of people including members of the press said it was so sad, but nothing sad in politics happens, God is the one who plans, he does everything and today when you see the response in NRM, you will know that there is a big silver lining.
“I thank everyone, I thank the judiciary because it is also an order of court today telling INEC to monitor this convention, which they monitored and we see that things turned out very very well. I thank Nigerians and will tell everybody to be patient because Nigerians need to come together for us to make it a better place.
Also speaking, the immediate past chairman of NRM, Ambassador Isaac Udeh, said he had to make the personal sacrifice in order to lift the party to greater heights. Udeh described his stepping down for Njoku as a “huge sacrifice which every Nigerian should emulate” adding that God sacrificed his only son for the good of humanity.
“What I have done is to make NRM to be the third force in this country as you can see what happened to NRM today is just a typical example of what will happen in NRM in the nearest future”, he said.
Also speaking at his inauguration ceremony on January 21, Njoku assured that the leadership of the party will work assiduously to provide an alternative and formidable platform that will contest, win elections, and rescue Nigerians from bad democratic governance.
“We have now gotten a bigger platform, a national platform, to be able to express ourselves; and all that victory, that big grammar we’ve been speaking, let us start seeing it happen as a political party. Most people in Nigeria know what we went through in APGA, but we thank God. I am really humbled with what happened today. I have seen something here today, which I never believed can happen in Nigeria. And every day we learn. I never believed it existed in the dictionary of my dear country, which is selflessness, and it will be so degrading, it will be so unfortunate if I do not mention it; someone stepping down for another to step up. I thank Ambassador Udeh for this selfless act”, Njoku said.
However, Njoku’s ascension did not come on a platter of gold as the Acting National Secretary of NRM, Obidike Okolo, continue to accuse him and Udeh of hijacking the leadership of the NRM. Okolo had continued to distance the National Management Committee (NMC) of the NRM from the National Emergency Convention of January 17, that produced Njoku as National Chairman and Udeh as National Organizing Secretary respectively.
Besides, INEC had raised the issue of the notice of the emergency convention as well as number of executive required to call an emergency meeting in two separate letters dated January 9 and 10, 2025.
Responding to the first letter on January 13, then national chairman recalled how he had on December 2, 2024, at the usual National Management Committee (NMC) Monday meetings, “brought to the attention of all the NMC members the proposal for a fusion between our Party and the members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) that have just been displaced by the Supreme Court Judgment of November 27, 2024.
“The proposed fusion was heartily welcomed and agreed upon by the NMC members. Immediately, the NMC raised a five-man committee with Obidike Okolo, the Acting National Secretary, as the Chairman and four other members. They were saddled with the responsibility to interface with the
APGA group and advise the party accordingly”, he said.
Udeh noted that while Okolo was the Chairman, the others were; Shedrack Ukah — Secretary, Olusola Afuye — member (late), Hassan Aminu – member and Mustapha Umar Kumshe — member.
While disclosing that the committee met three times with the APGA delegation at the residence of Chief Edozie Njoku, the former National Chairman of APGA, Udeh stated that two major points were finally raised which was that all APGA members joining the party should be registered. “The APGA members agreed, but resolved that they needed to go to their individual wards and resign from APGA, and within a week lawfully register as members of NRM.
“As the National Chairman of the Party, I made it clear to the NRM five-man Committee that the issue of the lopsidedness in the composition of the National Management Committee (NMC) of the party needed to be addressed. It was on this note that I informed them of my intention to step down as the National Chairman of the Party and that an Emergency National Convention is needed to cure these defects in the Party. “The Committee happily and gladly accepted this proposal, bearing in mind that some of them have been working tirelessly to remove me as the National Chairman of the Party”.
Speaking further, the now organizing secretary said the committee reported back to him on December 9, 2024.
According to him:”All the members of the Committee agreed to the fusion and the Emergency National Convention. The only dissenting voice was Obidike Okolo who made his opinion clear that the National Chairman and the National Secretary can come from the same zone. It was now agreed that a quick date of January 13, 2025 be scheduled for the Emergency National Convention and that all statutory delegates, State Chairmen and Secretaries be informed of this date”.
He noted that they all agreed that a letter be immediately drafted for the signatures of the National Chairman and the National Secretary for the scheduled Emergency National Convention of January 13, 2025.
He said after the letter was drafted and signed by the National Chairman they started waiting for the signature of the Acting National Secretary. “Two days went by and no response from the Acting National Secretary. Suddenly, we started getting information from delegates that the Acting National Secretary had decided that he will not just loose his position and that there is no harm in him acting as the National Secretary to any new National Chairman irrespective of the zone.
“Mr. Obidike’s refusal to sign the letter irritated the Executive Committee members and others that came on my invitation to the national secretariat and they all gave me the go ahead to sign the notice to INEC, bearing in mind that there is a subsisting judgement at the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, which empowers me to sign any notice to INEC independently”.
Udeh explained that upon receipt of INEC’s letter dated January 9, 2025, they decided to move the Emergency National Convention to January 17, 2025 and a publication was made in a national newspaper on January I l, 2025, adding that this was used to re-inform all statutory delegates, delegates and all-party members of the new date for the convention.
“It is truly remarkable and instructive to see that the letters dated November 19, 2024 and December 3, 2024 was signed by Mr. Obidike Okolo, as the Acting National Secretary and myself as the National Chainman of the Party. It is funny and mischievous to finally hear the so-called Acting National Secretary saying that I was suspended on the September 19, 2024. I wonder how he could have been signing a letter with a man he claims was suspended from the Party”, Udeh added.
Also responding to INEC’s second letter wherein the commission claimed that only the executive committee of NRM or two third of members of the executive can summon an emergency meeting of the National Convention or Congress in accordance with the party’s constitution, Udeh explained that in the cause of sending out official notice for the INEC verification exercise, “the party used the opportunity to invite all the members of the Executives, Statutory Delegates, Delegates, State Party Chairmen and State Party Secretaries.
“And, when the date of the Emergency National Convention was moved from January 13, 2025 to January 17, 2025, the Party issued a notification to all the delegates via its publication in a national newspaper of January I l, 2025”.
He stated that the essence was to use the opportunity provided by the INEC verification exercise to meet with them and take decisions about the proposed fusion between NRM and Njoku’s faction from APGA.
“The Party Executive Committee gladly and overwhelmingly approved the fusion and the emergency National Convention which will address the defects in the Party, which includes; the lopsidedness in the composition of the National Management Committee (NMC) and my intention to step down as the National Chairman of the Party. The foregoing is in compliance with Article 8.1.2 (a) of our Party Constitution which states that; ‘without prejudice to the above provisions the Executive Committee may summon an emergence meeting of the National Convention or Congress at any time provided at least seven days ‘ notice of meeting is given to all accredited delegates.
“Consequent upon the above, a date for the Emergency National Convention was set by the Executive Committee and it was also agreed that the 21 Days’ mandatory notification letter be forwarded to the Commission.
“After signing the letter, Obidike Okolo, the Acting National Secretary refused to abide by the decision of the Executive Committee saying that he will only sign the 21 Days’ mandatory notification letter if he is guaranteed the position of the Party’s National Secretary irrespective of whichever zone produces the new National Chairman.
“Obidike Okolo’s refusal to sign the 21 Days’ mandatory notification letter as approved by the Executive Committee of the Party has direct consequences as stated in Article 9.2. (a), (c), (d), (f), (g), (h) and (n) the Party. A greater part of Article 9 made it abundantly clear that Mr. Obidike risks suspension or expulsion from the Party.
“Going by Article 9.3 (i) Mr. Obidike’s action is considered an act of sabotage or an attempt to hold the party hostage which has dire consequences. Despite these unconstitutional behaviors by Mr. Obidike, the Party in its magnanimity ignored these serious offences/affront against it, in other not to disrupt the flow of activities and preparations for the Emergency National Convention, and relied on the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division which gave me the powers to sign statutory notices independently”, the letter read in part.
Meanwhile, the Northern caucus of NRM has declared full support for leadership of Njoku. Leader of the group, comprising 19 Northern States Chairmen, Secretaries, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and stakeholders of the party, Comrade Iliyasu Adamu, said they resolved to back Njoku, after reviewing “the unnecessary and avoidable dissention arising from the just concluded convention.
In a communique issued at the end of the Northern Cacus meeting last Thursday in Abuja, the group said the
emergency national convention was properly convened in line with the constitution of the party. Adamu, who read the communique, explained that “the emergency national convention became necessary to address the lopsidedness in the composition of the then National Management Committee (NMC), which has been amended to National Working Committee (NWC), in the new Constitution at the emergency national convention held on January 17, 2025”.
He added that a vote of confidence was unanimously passed on the person of Njoku, and the leadership of the great party.
“The emergency national convention was also convened to address the stepping down of the then National Chairman of the Party, Ambassador Isaac C. Udeh. We wholeheartedly accept the outcome of the emergency national convention under the leadership of Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of NRM”, Adamu added.
He also urged all members of the NRM to rally around the party’s new leadership for greater exploits.
The speedy and peaceful resolution of this issue would not only help the NRM avoid lengthy and avoidable litigations and frictions that is destroying other major opposition political parties but, will make the NRM the new bride in 2027, just as the LP was during the 2023 general elections.