OZOMKPU VICTOR OYE'S LEADERSHIP AND THE COLLAPSE OF APGA. By Ifeanyi Chilagorom

All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as a political party in Nigeria, was found by Chief Chekwas Okorie in collaboration with a few leaders especially from the Igbo extraction. In 2003, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu was made her presidential candidate to attract Igbo population into APGA. It was bandied that APGA was for the growth and development of Igbo nation. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu became the face of APGA as Igbos trooped into the party. 

As a matter of fact, there was a time in Nigerian politics when APGA was trying to take over almost all the Southeastern states. Every candidate produced by APGA during any election was seen as a competent, reliable and people oriented person and he/she must not have any corrupt record. The Igbo political elites and the masses used APGA as an umbrella to produce decent, competent, trustworthy and capable politicians who understood the exact problems of the people. APGA was growing as a national party but with regional strong base in Igboland. Even those of us in PDP were secretly admiring APGA as a party of Ndi Igbo with the "Onye aghala nwanne ya" and "Nkea bu nke anyi" slogans. At some point, it seemed that every Igbo man or woman was a member of APGA in spirit. It almost was as if all Igbos in other political parties were on sabbatical. 

Suddenly, night fell on the bright sky. APGA was overrun by merchants and it became a merchandise. But as the reverse has turned to be the case, its no more "Onye aghala nwanne ya" or "Nkea bu nke anyi". Everyone has left his brother as the current party leaders have turned APGA as the party of highest bidders and therefore, promoting money politics. I was disappointed to hear last time that there was sell of delegate forms. Indeed, APGA ran a ponzi and duplicated issues beyond necessity of normalcy. Instead of delegates for delegates, Victor Oye led APGA ran a system of delegates for aspirants (positions). This made it possible for an aspiring delegate to purchase delegate forms with respect to the number of positions for the election. APGA offices across the nation became market square. The election and its processes were crassly commercialized and criminal extortion became the order of the day. Whereas the usual process known across political parties was for delegates to contest and win to become eligible to vote in the primary elections, a delegate now will have to undergo four (4) different elections. One for State House, one for Federal House, one for Senate and one for Governorship.

This was allowed to go on with the trend of crime attached to it. While till the date of the primary election, no one had known who was a delegate or not since no delegates election was conducted by APGA, the party leadership kept the list on the chest, trying to play pranks with the people's mandate.

I was at Hillman Hotels, Afor-Oru, Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State on 2nd October, 2018 being the day of the so-called primary election for Federal House of Representatives. It was a total disappointment that even the disqualified aspirants were never informed till the moment everyone gather for the primary election. I mean that the aspirants who went through the party screening process were not given results of their screening. No list of aspirants was published and all the aspirants assumed success as no one was declared disqualified. It was at the accreditation of aspirants and delegates for the primaries that the disqualified aspirants were made to know that they have been disqualified. There was fights and argument here and there till the electoral officials disappeared with a particular aspirant who has been rumoured and believed to be the highest bidder. As an observer, I was at the venue till 11pm to make sure I have an authentic report that there was no election. But to my greatest surprise, it started flooding the entire social media at about 9pm same day that the primary election was peacefully conducted free and fair. In fact, news were trickling in that there was jubilation at the home of that particular aspirant.

WHAT?
Is this the APGA we have been admiring from afar? This was my question to one of the APGA leaders who I saw around the venue. As a reporter and observer, I thought it was a joke till names were published the next few days as winners of the primaries. It was then clear to everyone that the party leadership had defrauded aspirants lots of money and just decided to give the ticket to the highest bidders instead of allowing the people to democratically produce competent candidates as usual for the general elections.

An information had it that APGA National Chairman, Ozomkpu Victor Oye stated that his party raised about #1.3 Billion from sale of Forms. I personally think he has underaccounted for what he received. The criminal harvest was a festival. He said out of the amount, he still saved about #900 Million in Anambra State coffers. He has now declared to seek another four year term in the party's National Convention to be held in May, 2019. And my question is: What has Oye done to deserve another term? Is criminality and insincerity now a prerequisite and character required for APGA National Championship position? Does APGA wish to run and thrive on goodwill and honour or on extravagance of insincerity and low value system?

The last time I visited APGA National Secretariat in Abuja, the building and environment do not even look like that of a great party like APGA. Even some of the newly established political parties in Nigeria have better National Headquarters than our beloved APGA. Another of my question goes: Nkea obukwa nke anyi? Is this really our own?

Is APGA really an Igbo party or just an Anambra political party?

Victor Oye is from Anambra State as his predecessor, Senator Victor Umeh. And the next question comes: *Will APGA reward a failed man to continue as its National Chairman?

Which political party shall the Igbos really see as theirs? It is obvious that the time is fast moving and no one seems to raise his fingers. Whither APGA and Ndi Igbo? Where do we go from here?

Let's meet next time as things unfold*

Chilagorom Ifeanyi