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Chief Edozie Njoku who is the National chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has hit out at the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu accusing him of contempt of court.
Njoku said that Yakubu’s refusal to obey the judgments of various courts of competent jurisdiction, especially the Supreme Court ruling the true leadership of APGA has created room for suspense and speculation.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, he said while the commission promptly recognised Jude Okoye as national chairman after his purported suspension, Prof. Yakubu has continued to delay after the apex court determined the matter.
“Nigerians should join me to ask the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu, why he prefers to risk a jail term rather than abiding by the Supreme Court’s decision on APGA leadership. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court presided by Justice M. A. Madugu, in apparent effort to enforce the apex court’s judgment convicted Prof. Yakubu for contempt, but deferred sentencing to give room for the INEC chairman and erstwhile chairman of APGA, Ike Oye, to purge themselves of the contempt charge,” Njoku stated.
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The APGA national chairman recalled how he was wrongfully sent to Kuje Prison for allegedly forging the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed him as the authentic national chairman of APGA. He noted that while he was facing trial on two counts of forgery and impersonation, he wrote the Federal Ministry of Justice under Abubakar Malami praying the then Attorney General to confirm the veracity of apex court judgment and recognize him as APGA Chairman.
“Some people ask me, why is there always crisis in APGA? The pertinent question that should be directed to Prof. Yakubu. Why is he causing crisis in APGA? Once the Supreme Court has deliberated over any matter there is no further crisis or contention. People refer to INEC website and cite a different person as national chairman. Why should he retain a lie on the website after the Supreme Court has spoken? Why?” Njoku demanded.
The APGA chairman called on Prof. Yakubu to act on the Supreme Court judgment the same way he did by recognizing Timipre Sylva as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) after the Appeal Court upturned the judgment of the lower court that debarred him from the recent Bayelsa State governorship poll.
