APGA Chairman, Edozie Njoku, sacks Ikwueto, Ikpeazu, Agunzi, others as party lawyers

Appoints Paul Erokoro, SAN, Barristers Michael Ajara and Panam Ntui as APGA external solicitors

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku, has disengaged Mr. P. I. N. Ikwueto, SAN., Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu and C.I Mbaeri, Esq. from representing APGA in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024) or any other suit relating to APGA.

This was contained in a “Letter of Disengagement as APGA External Solicitors“, dated September 26, 2024, and signed by Chief Njoku himself.

According to the letter, others affected by the disengagement include Victor Agunzi Esq., Tobechukwu Nweke Esq., Chinedu Eze Esq., Dr. Obinna Onya Esq. and Celestine Ezeokeke Esq.

Speaking, Njoku cited “some calculated, consistent and concerted efforts on your part to cause crisis in our party, through undue duplicity of suits amounting to abuse of court process and forum shopping and brazen disrespect and disregard to subsisting orders/judgement of courts”.

He, “for coincidence of doubt”, made it abundantly clear that it is only he, Edozie Njoku, and/or Barr. Hamman Buba Ghide, the National Legal Adviser that can engage an external solicitor for the party on any suit.

This he said, is in accordance with Section 8 (b) of the party’s Owerri Constitution of 2019 (as amended).

He stated further: “As Chief Victor Oye’s Counsel, you are aware that it was myself (Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of APGA) that was removed in faraway Jigawa and reinstated by the Supreme Court (SC/CV/687/2021) and the case dismissed as Forum Shopping; wherein the lead Justice, Honourable Justice Ukaego Peter Mary Odili (Rtd) inter-alio clearly stated:

“‘It needs to be stated at this point that the dispute being who should be the Acting National Chairman of the 1st Respondent APAA and whether the Chairman, Chief Edosie Njoku was validly replaced are within the confines of the internal affair of the 1st Respondent which is not justiciable’.”

Similarly, Njoku cited a letter written by retired Honorable Justice Ukaego Peter Mary Odili, dated November 7, 2022, while corroborating the said judgement, wherein she succinctly stated:

“By this clarification it is to be noted that Chief Victor Oye was not a Party to the proceedings and the proper party for whom the Judgment and orders referred is Chief Edozie Njoku.’

Njoku lambasted the external solicitors for instituting a matter in the name of APGA in suit number FHC/ABJ/C5/966/2024, as a Plaintiff, without his knowledge and approval.

He regretted that they this despite knowing that the right of representation of the party as a legal entity rests with the Njoku-led executives.

According to him, the approval of the executives must be sought and secured before any litigation can be entered in the name of the party.

Njoku reminded the external solicitors how the judgment of the Supreme Court was enforced at the FCT High Court sitting in Bwari.

In the course of the Bwari court proceedings, an Order of Court was given by the judge that there should be no primaries, congresses or conventions except under the direct purview of the Njoku-led executives.

He regretted further, however, that “this order was disobeyed by Chief Victor Oye and INEC (the Independent national Electoral Commission)” when Oye conducted an illegal convention which resulted to the emergence of Mr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa.

Oye and INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, were consequently changed for contempt of court with Forms 48 and 49 served on them and were found guilty.

Oye and Prof. Yakubu rushed off to Court of Appeal and obtained an Order to Stay the sentencing pending the hearing of the appeal.

At the Court of Appeal (CA/ABJ/724/2023), the order for stay was vacated and the judgement for contempt affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal consequently, returned the case to the trial court for the sentencing which has been slated for the 28th day of October, 2024.

The external solicitors went back to the appeal court to stay the judgment, but the application was denied.

Njoku reminded the external solicitors that they were part of the legal team in both cases.

He, therefore, stated conclusively: “While these were ongoing, INEC agreed with the true position of the law and immediately recognized me as the National Chairman of APGA and published my name in their official portal/website.

“With all these facts at hand, I truly find it strange that you will go to any Court of law to represent APGA…

• knowing fully well that I am the National Chairman of APGA, who is fully recognized by the body in charge of regulating political parties in Nigeria, which is captured on their website;
• knowing fully well that there is no instruction given to you by myself or the National Legal Adviser you went ahead to file an action on behalf of APGA.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I hereby debrief all of you and forbid you from further representing APGA in this or any other suit unless you are instructed by me or Barr Hammon Bubo Ghide, the National Legal Adviser.

“I truly find it strange that Learned Silks will go to the Federal High Court to represent our party (APGA), without due authorization from me as the recognized National Chairman of APGA by INEC.”

Finally, Njoku put the external solicitors on notice that Paul Erokoro, SAN, Barristers Michael Ajara and Panam Ntui have been appointed to act as external solicitors forthwith.

Their appointment will cover the party in suit no: FHC/ABT/C5/966/2024, as well as other matters that the party may deem fit.

The letter was copied to the Honorable Justice J.K Omotosho of Court 7, Federal High Court, Abuja.

Other recipients of the said letter are the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Paul Erokoro, SAN, Mr. Michael Ajara, Esq. and Mr. Panam Ntui, Esq.

See an abridged copy of the letter below:

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