S/Court judgment: Aguma quits APC, other Sen. Abe's loyalists may follow

igo-aguma

Chief Igo Aguma

Chief Igo Aguma

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Honourable Igo Aguma, a chieftain of a faction of Rivers chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC loyal to Senator Magnus Abe dumped the party on Friday.

He announced that he is leaving the party soon after Supreme Court refused to recognise his claim that he is the authentic Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in Rivers.

Supreme Court had in the ruling declared Isaac Abbot Ogbobula, a loyalist of Amaechi as authentic Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the APC in Rivers.

In a press statement he personally signed, Aguma confirmed that he decided to leave from APC as a result of the judgment of the Supreme Court.

He stated that: “It is now clear that it is not within the purview of the Court to protect the rights and privileges of members of a political party, in this case, the APC. It is the APC that should protect the rights of her members but has failed to do so.

“I cannot continue to be a member of a Political party that endangers and does not give any form of protection to the rights of its members and has no respect whatsoever for its own constitution at all but chooses to be run against democratic principles intoto for self-destructive purposes.

“Therefore I announce my exit from the All Progressives Congress immediately. To God be the glory.”

Analysts believe that his resignation may signal the beginning of exodus of loyalists of Senator Abe from APC as the apex court’s ruling has handed over the control of Rivers chapter of the party to the rival Amaechi faction.

Speculations are rife that other key members of Senator Abe’s faction may follow Aguma’s example in the next few days.

There are also speculations that their leader, Abe may also dump the ruling party.

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Abe is currently a board member of Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC, a position he was appointed into as a member of the party ruling the country at the national level.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Transportation Minister have been in jubilant mood since the news of Supreme Court judgment broke.

Supreme Court on Friday had in its ruling described the appeal in which the Aguma  was seeking to be declared the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Rivers as merely academic in a judgment read by Justice Amina Augie.

“This appeal is merely an academic venture, lacks merit and is therefore struck out,’’ she read.

The apex court had also said it has no jurisdiction to hear the mattes as it was the exclusive right of the National Executive Committee of the APC under the party’s Constitution to appoint a Caretaker Committee for any organ of the party.

See Aguma’s full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT

  1. I have received the Supreme Court judgment which dismissed my Appeal challenging the Court of Appeal decision which upturned the High Court judgment that declared me as Acting Chairman of APC in Rivers state.
  2. It is now clear that it is not within the purview of the Court to protect the rights and privileges of members of a political party, in this case, the APC. It is the APC that should protect the rights of her members but has failed to do so.
  3. I cannot continue to be a member of a Political party that endangers and does not give any form of protection to the rights of its members and has no respect whatsoever for its own constitution at all but chooses to be run against democratic principles intoto for self-destructive purposes.
  4. Therefore I announce my exit from the All Progressives Congress immediately. To God be the glory.

Signed

Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma

5th March 2021

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