APGA members in free-for-all in Imo

The Imo State secretariat of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA,
turned into a battle field yesterday as factional members unleashed
mayhem on one another.

The ensuing confusion spilled over to the ever busy Owerri-Umuahia
federal highway, causing serious gridlock on the road, while Imo
State Police Command quickly dispatched its men to the scene to
restore sanity.

Vanguard correspondent gathered that trouble started immediately the
state interim chairman of the party, Peter Ezeobi, drove into the
premises with a retinue of security details but was booed and jeered
by angry members.

The aggrieved party faithful accused Ezeobi of unilaterally sacking 14
council chairmen of the party without recourse to the State Working
Committee, SWC.

Apart from chanting unprintable songs, they also carried placards with
varying inscriptions, some of which read: "Go Ezeobi Go", "God will
judge APGA National leaders", Mazi Okwu has won Umeh in Imo and then
has been replaced by Umeh people".

Briefing newsmen on the incident, a chieftain of the party and
chairman of Owerri West local government area, Barr Charles Oguchialu
, accused the new state executive of being used to destroy the party
through dictatorship.

"We are grieving for our party because our men and women who laboured
to put the party on a solid foundation were purportedly and
dramatically sent packing by a single individual, who is just new to
the party," Oguchialu said.

He recalled with grief that "a day before the controversial
dissolution, a state Exco meeting, which involved all the local
government party chairmen was organized without any discussion on
dissolution, only for Ezeobi to announce the controversial dissolution
the next day."

Efforts made by newsmen to get the reaction of Ezeobi and the State
Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Tony Mgbeahuruike, failed as
they rebuffed all entreaties to speak on the issue.