Court sacks APGA chairman, Victor Oye

An Enugu High Court presided over by Justice A.R Ozoemena yesterday ordered the removal of the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Oye and replaced him with Chief Martin Agbaso.

The judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop further dealings with Oye.

The action of the court followed a suit by the Secretary of the party in Enugu State, Comrade Mike Alioke, who challenged the continued occupation of Oye in office after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party affirmed his suspension on October 5, last year.

He had asked for the order of Mandamus compelling the INEC to stop further recognition of Oye based on the suspension as well as ensuring that the non-recognition was sustained by INEC.

He asked that the decision of the NWC should be upheld by INEC and grant Chief Martin Agbaso who was recognized by the NWC authority to function as the National Chairman of the party.

Justice Ozoemena, who had granted the three reliefs sought, asked the INEC to recognize Agbaso. Efforts to get Oye to comment on the development yesterday proved abortive. He neither responded to calls on his mobile number nor the text sent to him.

The National Vice Chairman of the party (Southeast), Chief Okechukwu Nkoloagu, who is a member of the NWC said the party welcomed the decision of the court, which it described as “laudable,” stressing that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man.