From Chuks Collins, Awka
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, has allegedly deployed heavily armed security operatives including soldiers, mobile policemen and state government agents to seal off the head office of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Edozie Njoku in Awka.
Addressing a gathering of journalists amidst party faithfuls at the gate of the sealed, the Vice National Chairman (South East), Engr TonyUche Ezekwelu expressed shock that state Governor could lock out officers and members of the party that produced him.
Ezekwelu lamented that change of party leaders and control is not in anyway a death sentence but a rejigging of party structure for effective performance and political alertness.
He described the act of sealing the party office as politically motivated, especially when other adjoining/adjacent offices including the Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, Office of the Governor’s Wife was not affected.
According to the party chief, the state government agents, the soldiers and policemen stormed the APGA state headquarters located on Road One of Udoka Housing Estate to carry out the action in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 August, 2024.
Reacting vide a telephone interview from his Abuja national office, Chief Edozie Njoku, confirmed having received information and reports about the sealing of the party’s head office by Anambra state government officials.
He said he would consult immediately with the National Secretariat of the party on the matter and would take appropriate necessary action immediately.
Hear him, “It is true, I got the information this morning (Tuesday) that the party office was sealed by a government agency.
“So, I am consulting with the National Secretariat. It is after the consultation that we will decide on the action we take.
” I need to know the true facts on the ground, and my Secretaries are making calls; once we have the true picture, we can have a proper and accurate reaction.”
This sealing of the office was sequel to the manipulation of the state independent electoral commission (ANSIEC) which drove away the new leadership of the new Edozie Njoku-led APGA from a top level all-party/Stakeholders interactive meeting in Awka about a week ago.
These scheming and manipulations made political watchers assume that the Governor do not have genuine intention for the planned Saturday, 28 September, 2024 Council poll in the state.
However, Mr. Christian Aburime, Press Secretary to the Governor when contacted, claimed to be oblivious of the incident.
He referred journalists to the Special Adviser (SA) on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu.
