The Supreme Court has officially affirmed Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), resolving a prolonged leadership dispute within the party.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by a five-member panel of justices in two unanimous judgments. The court nullified the claim made by Chief Edozie Njoku, who had previously asserted his leadership of the party.
Justice Stephen Adah, who read the lead judgment, clarified that the court’s earlier ruling from October 14, 2021, corrected in March 2023, was purely declaratory and not enforceable. According to the court, Chief Njoku’s reliance on this verdict to validate his claim as APGA’s leader was incorrect.
Justice Adah emphasized that party leadership disputes are internal matters and not subject to judicial enforcement. He criticized lower courts for erroneously supporting Chief Njoku’s claim, which led to the invalidation of the Abuja Court of Appeal’s decision from June 28, 2024. This earlier ruling had upheld a High Court judgment declaring Njoku as the APGA Chairman.
Additionally, the Supreme Court imposed a fine of N20 million each on two members of Njoku’s faction for their involvement in the leadership tussle.
The court held that a third appeal relating to the APGA leadership tussle, would abide by its decision in the matter.
The three appeals were marked: SC/CV/824/2024 : APGA & another vs. Chief Victor Ike Oye & others; SC/CV/825/2024: Chief Victor Ike Oye vs. Otunba Kamaru Lateef Ogidan & 2 others, and Chief Victor Ike Oye vs. Otunba Kamaru Lateef Ogidan & 2 others.
Reacting to the verdict, Mr. Ezeokenwa expressed gratitude to the judiciary for resolving the dispute. He stated, “We should not always be saying bad things against the Judiciary. Today, I am very proud of our Judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
“like I have always said, our Judiciary will always come through to save our nation when the need arises. That is what it has done today with the erudite judgments delivered today by the Supreme Court concerning the leadership of our party.
“Like our lead counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) said, what ought not to have taken place was created and has been dragged up to the Supreme Court. It is unfortunate. Money has been expended and party’s structures distabilsed just because of someone’s selfish and inordinate ambition.
“The judgments today have affirmed the convention that brought us to office and that we are in charge of the running of the party’s affairs.
“So, there no longer speculation or doubt about the actual leadership of APGA. By the judgments, I, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa has been affirmed as the Chairman of APGA,” Ezeokenwa added.
