Parties’ internal crises can be beneficial for Nigeria – APGA chair

Chief Edozie Njoku, the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in this interview speaks on the leadership crisis that has been rocking the party over several years, the import of internal crises bedeviling all the major opposition political parties and how these crises can become beneficial for the nation’s nascent democracy.

Nigerians thought that the leadership issue in APGA was settled by the Supreme Court. However, there are still those challenging your leadership. What do you make of this?

It’s a sensitive matter. The Supreme Court ruled, and in their judgment, they clarified the removal of the national chairman.

The issue began in Jigawa, where I was removed as the national chairman of APGA through forum-shopping. The Court of Appeal upheld this removal. But, the Supreme Court later ruled that the case was a result of forum-shopping and that I should be reinstated as the chairman. However, they mistakenly included Chief Victor Oye’s name in the ruling instead of mine. On page 13, the judgment stated that my removal was not justiciable, but Oye’s name was again mistakenly included.

After allowing Charles Soludo to be sworn in as governor (of Anambra State), I wrote to the five justices to address the error. Justice Mary Odili, who was about to retire, made the necessary correction.

However, powerful interests continued to challenge this, even involving accusations of forgery against me, which were later dismissed.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kekere-Ekun, who was on the panel, responded to my letters, acknowledging me as the national chairman. Eventually, the matter was brought before an open court. Even though it seemed resolved, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) continued to argue that my name was irrelevant to the judgment. This begs the question: Why would the Supreme Court issue a correction if it had no impact?

Despite these efforts to break my resolve, I continued to fight. While still in court, the Chief Justice directed the case to the same court where I was tried for forgery. The court ruled in my favour, dismissing the forgery charges and enforcing the Supreme Court judgment. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was instructed to stop recognising Oye’s faction, but they appealed the decision.

The Court of Appeal unanimously upheld the lower court’s ruling. Meanwhile, we initiated contempt proceedings against INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, and Victor Oye for disobeying court orders regarding the primaries that brought forth Sylvester Ezeokenwa. The court warned them to comply within two weeks or face prison sentences. Mahmood obeyed, recognising me as chairman.

Is there an end in sight?

Yes, the end is in sight. The enforcement of the judgment is now at the Supreme Court, and once they rule, that should settle everything. It’s just a matter of time.

Recently, it was reported that you suspended some members of the party, and there are threats against Governor Soludo. Some wonder if this is the way to unite the party. How far are you willing to go in this fight to reclaim APGA?

We’re committed to reclaiming the party. People may offer money or try to buy us out, but we’re determined to go all the way. The most harmful anti-party action is conducting parallel primaries and creating division. We had to suspend and expel those involved in such activities. We’ve also warned elected officers, including Governor Soludo, to clarify their allegiance to APGA. If they continue to work against the party, we won’t hesitate to take further action.

There have been allegations that your struggle is aimed at preventing Governor Soludo from seeking a second term in 2025. How do you respond to that?

I have no personal issues with Governor Soludo. I personally visited Soludo to discuss how to move the party forward, but he ignored my efforts. If I had personal issues with him, I could have expelled him last week, but we’re giving him a chance. It’s important to note that a sitting governor usually has the best chance of winning an election because of the resources at their disposal. Why would we want to lose the only governor we have?

Some question whether Governor Soludo is aware of the court order that the convention shouldn’t have been held?

He’s fully aware. Before I travelled abroad, I met with him to discuss the party’s legal matters and advised him to consult an independent lawyer to review the judgments. He agreed, but after that, he proceeded to make decisions that cut out the national leadership from overseeing the primaries. He even went to court in Awka and Abuja to further his actions.

It seems clear that he has something against me. For instance, when his daughter got married, he didn’t invite me, despite being the national chairman of his party. His actions indicate he has unresolved issues.

So, what’s your next move?

We’ll continue to fight for APGA. Soludo is wasting resources that should be used for the people of Anambra on legal and political battles. We’re focused on doing what’s best for the party and the state.

Almost all the opposition parties are facing leadership crises. Are you worried that this might affect Nigeria’s democracy in 2027?

If these crises are resolved properly, like the one in APGA is about to be, it can be beneficial for Nigeria. When people care about something, they fight for it. The lack of internal democracy, where certain people wield resources and power, leads to these crises. If those who are dissatisfied can keep fighting for a fair conclusion, either by winning or losing, it will ultimately strengthen the parties.

When I was challenging Oye during the APGA primaries, the process was better because he knew he would be called out if things went wrong. If other parties like Labour and PDP resolve their crises, they’ll emerge stronger. Once APGA’s crisis is fully settled, we won’t have these issues for long.

Some are saying that these crises are part of APC’s strategy to push Nigeria towards a one-party state. Does this worry you?

I don’t agree with that. Using APGA as an example, APC has nothing to do with our crisis. The problem is internal democracy, where those with power try to control those without. People revolt against that.

The moment a fair fight is put up, and the right side wins, the party is saved from domination. APC isn’t responsible for the internal conflicts within opposition parties.

You talk about internal democracy, and it’s true that it’s a major problem for political parties. But courts often say that internal crises should be resolved within the party. However, Nigerian parties seem to lack the mechanisms to do so. Does APGA have mechanism to ensure that even after the Supreme Court’s final decision, the laws will be respected and everyone will fall in line?

APGA has fought its battles, and being a party of the masses, we’ve allowed people to express themselves. You’d be surprised that in Anambra, despite a sitting governor, most posters have the image of a non-Anambra candidate. This shows that people have found a way to express themselves, something they’ve never had before.

However, part of the problem has been the media. Even when we sent court documents to major outlets to clarify the legal situation, you still see misreporting. Some call me the “Supreme Court acclaimed” chairman, which is misleading. There’s no middle ground – either I’m the chairman, or I’m not.

The Supreme Court’s ruling is the end of the law in Nigeria. The media has a responsibility to get the facts right, especially when reporting on such matters, to avoid confusion and misleading the public.

How has this confusion affected your desire to reform the party, and what are the key elements of the reforms you want to implement in APGA?

As a human being, I sometimes feel downcast, especially considering the amount of money I’ve spent—wasting a lot of my family’s resources on this battle. But whenever I go back to the village, like in Imo State, and see the poverty and the people I’m fighting for, it reignites my passion. I’ve been a grassroots politician – from local government chairman to state officer, zonal officer, and now national chairman.

Seeing how APGA allows ordinary people without political godfathers to contest elections is deeply satisfying. Someone once told me I’ll never recover the money I’ve spent on APGA. But seeing young people, without wealthy backgrounds, able to buy forms and contest in elections is worth more than any amount of money.

APGA offers an opportunity for anyone, regardless of their background, to participate in politics. This isn’t something you see in other parties, where you must have a godfather or be indebted to some political boss before you even get a chance to run. In APGA, you can simply buy a form and run, and your community will decide.

What are the prospects for APGA? You’ve said you’ll win all the elections, but realistically, what are the prospects for APGA beyond Anambra State?

Very high, honestly. APGA is loved by the people, especially in the South East. It’s not just an Igbo party, but it has a strong affinity with the Igbo people. I don’t know why, but they have a deep attachment to the party, and that loyalty is hard to break. If we manage the party well, with discipline and selflessness, APGA can expand far beyond Anambra.

The party has a history of money politics, but if we can get our national working committee (NWC), state chairmen, and local chairmen to be disciplined, we will see a wave of success within the next 18 months. People are tired of the old political systems, and they’re looking for something new—APGA can provide that. It shouldn’t matter what ethnic group someone belongs to. APGA can be the platform for anyone to free themselves from political godfathers and the old order.