Politics
Breaking: 10 years after, Chekwas returns to APGA, says peace efforts failed 20 times
Founding Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA Chief Chekwas Okorie has returned to the party ten years after he was forced out by internal crisis.
Chief Okorie who holds the title of ‘Oje Ozi Ndigbo’ (messenger of the Igbo) was received into the party by the Supreme Court recognised National Chairman of APGA, Chief Edozie Njoku, on Wednesday.
Speaking at the well attended event held at his Enugu resident, Chief Okorie said “APGA has remained the only truly progressive political party in Nigeria, not only because of its name, but in the constitution with which we used in the registration of APGA.
“You will see in the objective principles of the constitution, you will also see in the manifesto of the constitution, provision for true federalism, Devolution of power and self determination of all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. These are revolutionary and progressive objectives.
“Nigeria has come to a point where the social contract of the political parties with the Nigerian people must be interrogated to know what they mean and separate it from what they say.”
Speaking about his ordeals in APGA and his political journey thereafter, the Igbo leader said that they “didn’t just run away when the problems started, we struggled to save the soul of the party. We were in the the court for 8 years, were were in Supreme Court three times and no court ever recognised any other person as APGA National Chairman except me.
” We tried reconciliation, there were over 20 attempts to have peace and reconcile all side but these efforts were frustrated by only one side and we were forced to leave and try our hands elsewhere and founded UPP.
“In 2012, we founded United Peoples Party, UPP, and in the same year, all our leaders in diaspora including Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Dr. Egemba and Uche Mefor said they were tired of the political process and moved on to Radio Biafra.
“Eventually, that UPP couldn’t move forward, in 2020, we decided to try our hand with the ruling party, we collapsed our structure into the All Progressives Congress, APC, that was a difficult decision to make but at the end of the day, we weren’t too comfortable with the APC because haven been in opposition for several years and decades, it wasn’t so easy to change from the way we were made.
“There was pressure from everywhere for us to return to APGA and help rebuild the house but I said to myself and associates that we can’t return via the backdoor.
“Thus, when the Supreme Court in its wisdom corrected the error they made in October 2021 and reaffirmed Edozie Njoku as the authentic National Chairman of APGA.
“In May 14th, 2022, Njoku was in my house for my return to the House I built, after due consultations with my associates, we decided to return.
“I Chief Chekwas Okorie, with all my associates, those present here and outside, we have today, formally returned to APGA under the Chairmanship of Edozie Njoku.”
He commended Chief Njoku for his peace initiative and assured he will be part of the process to bring back the members of the party.
“Njoku is part of the original vision of APGA and never left, I want to join him in that preaching of healing of wounds.
“I will join him in meeting all the important people that needs to come on board including the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and join in the campaign to win the state for APGA so the Governor will have a conducive political atmosphere to deliver the dividends of democracy to Ndi Anambra.
“All those that have APGA Ticket will be helped to win their election.
“On the 26th of May, 2022, I formally resigned as a member of APC in my ward and deregistered as a member of APGA in my ward on the same day.
“The revolution has started!” he declared.
Speaking earlier, Chief Edozie Njoku, National Chairman of APGA said “those we started APGA will come back to be with us.
” The situation of our country is a sad one and as someone that grew up outside Nigeria, many persons want to come back to the country but they want the country to work again.
“I’m here with the NWC members of the party to see our founder Okorie and he’s not happy with the state of APGA.
“I’m happy and privileged that I’m among those that are here to welcome our Founder back to the party. We need to reach out to others that are aggrieved and we need to reach out to them. Our members that were reaped off in 2019 in Imo are in pain, we need to appease them.
“This is a bad period in APGA but we’re not discouraged. The lies are much and I’m having my share of the propaganda. I have been accused of forging supreme Court judgement which is laughable.”
Other members of the National Working Committee that were at the event include: Hajia Hadisa Musa, the national women leader, Alhaji Mustapha Rabiu, National Welfare officer, Tony Uche, National Vice Chairman, South East, Ezenwanyi Kate Anikwe, Former National Women Leader, etc.
In the now-controversial post shared on his social media page, Osborne wrote: “In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC but truth be told.”
The comment quickly generated reactions online before the Akwa Ibom State Government moved to terminate his appointment.
In a letter dated June 2, 2026, the Office of the Political Adviser to the Governor announced his immediate disengagement.
The termination letter, signed by the Political Adviser to the Governor, Prince Godwin Ntuk Udeh, stated that Osborne Ubong Okon had been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.Politics
According to the letter, the decision was taken over actions the office described as disloyal.
“You are hereby relieved of your engagement as a Media Aide to the Political Adviser to His Excellency the Governor, with immediate effect and from today, 2nd June 2026,” the memo read.
The letter further cited “actions bordering on disloyalty” and the need to keep the office “purified” as reasons for the dismissal.
The office also issued a warning to members of the public and government officials regarding future dealings with the former aide.
“Any person having dealings with the above-mentioned former Media Aide in relation to this office of his former engagement does so on his/her own peril,” the statement added.
The development has sparked fresh conversations about the limits of political expression for government appointees and the expectations of loyalty within public service, particularly when comments are directed at the presidency.
Neither Osborne nor the Presidency had publicly responded to the development as of the time of filing this report.
The decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly complex in Dutse, the state capital, as the party continues to deal with the fallout from recent primaries.
The action comes amid a wave of suspensions across Jigawa APC following the recently conducted primary election.
Several special advisers and special assistants have already been suspended statewide over alleged anti-party activities from state level down to local government level.
Maigari, who doubles as the councillor representing Auyo Ward, was suspended after the House considered a motion by the Majority Leader, Lawan Dansure.
The motion sought disciplinary action against the lawmaker for conduct deemed harmful to party cohesion.
Moving the motion during the Assembly’s plenary session on Tuesday, Dansure urged members to support the suspension.
He said the House must act to protect the integrity of the ruling party ahead of 2027.
According to him, the actions of the Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
“His actions are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress,” Dansure told the House.
He argued that anti-party conduct at the grassroots level could undermine APC’s performance in future elections.
He said the House could not fold its arms while party discipline was being tested.
“Hon. Haruna Maigari is hereby suspended as Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council over alleged anti-party activities,” Dangyatin announced during plenary.
The Speaker also said the House remains committed to party discipline at all levels of governance in the state.
Dangyatin then constituted an investigative committee to look into the matter and report back within two weeks.
“The committee is expected to establish facts and recommend further action based on its findings,” he said.
The Speaker also directed the suspended lawmaker to hand over all official documents in his possession to the Deputy Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council.
He said the handover must be done immediately to ensure continuity of council business.
Meanwhile, the House also received a formal notification from Governor Umar Namadi regarding an official trip.
“The governor is billed to attend a two-day West African Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, Ghana,” the Speaker said during the plenary session of the Assembly.
Dangyatin, who explained that the governor’s foreign engagement will hold between June 2 and June 3, 2026, added that “the governor’s participation is aimed at attracting investment to Jigawa’s rice value chain.”
By Chinedu Sabastine
Mr. Samson Chukwu Nnamani has declared that he remains the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 election.
Nnamani made this known on Friday during a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Enugu.
Reacting to allegations that he was suspended from the party before the PDP governorship primary election, Nnamani dismissed the claim, questioning how a supposedly suspended aspirant could participate in the exercise and secure votes.
“The purported claim that I was suspended is very funny. If I was suspended as they claim, how can they attribute votes for me during their kangaroo primary,” Nnamani questioned.
Represented by his Media Director, Dr. Buchi Nnaji, the PDP chieftain said his authenticity derives from the present recognition of the Abdulrahman-led faction of the PDP by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of which he is a member.
The clarification followed the emergence of multiple claimants to the PDP governorship ticket in Enugu State.
Nnamani insisted that the party was no longer factionalised following INEC’s recognition of the Abdulrahman-led PDP leadership, noting that the panel which declared him winner where sent from their headquaters, Abuja.
Nnamani expressed gratitude to PDP leaders and supporters whom he said turned out massively on Sunday, May 24, 2026, to elect him as the party’s governorship candidate.
He pledged to reposition Enugu State through infrastructure development, job creation and people-oriented policies.
“As the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Enugu State, I remain committed to the ideals of good governance, inclusive leadership, economic development, youth empowerment, quality education, improved healthcare and enhanced security for all residents,” he said.
He added that his aspiration was to build “a greater Enugu State where opportunities abound for every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or social status.”
According to him, his administration would prioritise infrastructure development, industrialisation, support for small businesses and welfare programmes aimed at improving the lives of the people.
“We shall also review and remove policies and practices that are truncating the wellbeing, economic survival and social advancement of the citizens,” he stated.
Nnamani further called on stakeholders, party faithful, youths, women, traditional rulers and the people of Enugu State to join hands in building “a united, peaceful and progressive state.”
“Together, we can achieve the Enugu of our dreams,” he added.
The Presidency has reacted following the circulation of an alleged WhatsApp voice note in which President Bola Tinubu reportedly claims he begged opposition figure Peter Obi to step down ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The reaction came on Wednesday from Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President.
Onanuga condemned the audio file, labeling it a fabrication and called for legal action against popular social media critic VeryDarkMan who shared it.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform.,” Onanuga tweeted.
In the viral video, VeryDarkMan used the alleged leaked audio to urge Nigerians to vote against President Tinubu’s reelection bid in the upcoming 2027 polls.
Recall that just days ago, on Saturday, May 23, 2026, President Tinubu secured the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a landslide nationwide direct primary election.
During that contest, Tinubu faced a lone challenger, Edo State businessman and APC chieftain Stanley Osifo. The President won with 10,999,162 votes from the 12,643,306 registered party members, while Osifo secured 16,503 votes.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 election, is widely expected to fly the flag for the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). Both Obi and Tinubu hail from the southern region of Nigeria and are set to face last year’s runner-up, Atiku Abubakar, who is expected to lead the ticket for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, has accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of running the state like a personal family business.
Odii made the remark shortly after emerging as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election following the party’s primary election conducted across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Speaking to party supporters in Abakaliki, Odii said the 2027 election would be about rescuing Ebonyi from poor governance and restoring economic growth and public welfare.
“Ebonyi can never be consumed. Ebonyi can never be conquered. Ebonyi can never become a personal family business, and we are here for the rescue of our dear state,” he stated.
The PDP flag bearer pledged to improve the welfare of civil servants and teachers while promising policies aimed at reviving the state’s economy.
Odii also dismissed fears over political opposition ahead of the election, insisting that his focus remained the development and progress of Ebonyi State.
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