BY CHUKS COLLINS, AWKA
THE government of Anambra State, led by Prof. Charles Soludo, allegedly deployed heavily armed security operatives, including soldiers, mobile policemen and state government agents to seal the state secretariat of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), led by Chief Edozie Njoku, in Awka, the capital city.
Addressing journalists at the gate of the sealed office, APGA’s Vice National Chairman (Southeast), Chief Tony Uche Ezekwelu, surrounded by party faithful, expressed shock that the governor could lock out officers and members of the party that brought him to power.
Ezekwelu lamented that change of party leaders and control is not in anyway a death sentence, but a rejigging of party structure for effective performance and political alertness, describing the sealing of the party office as politically motivated, especially when other adjoining/adjacent offices, including the office of the governor’s wife was not affected.
According to him, the state government agents, soldiers and policemen stormed the APGA state headquarters, located on Road One, Udoka Housing Estate, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 27.
A note left behind showed that the officers were from the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, who alleged that the occupants should show evidence that the residence was procedurally converted to a commercial premises.
Reacting in a telephone interview from his Abuja national secretariat, Njoku confirmed receiving information and reports about the sealing of the party’s head office by Anambra State government officials.
He, however, said he would consult immediately with the national secretariat of the party on the matter and take appropriate and necessary action immediately, adding: “It is true, I got the information this morning (Tuesday) that the party office was sealed by a government agency.
“So, I am consulting with the national secretariat. It is after the consultation that we will decide on the action we take.
“I need to know the true facts on the ground, and my secretaries are making calls. Once we have the true picture, we can have a proper and accurate reaction.”
The sealing of the office was another act following the chasing away of the new Njoku-led APGA from a top level all-party/stakeholders interactive meeting in Awka about a week ago by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).
All these have made political watchers doubt the governor’s intentions regarding the planned September 28 council poll in the state.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Aburime, when contacted, said he was unaware of the development, referring journalists to the Special Adviser (SA) on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, for the government’s position.
