By CHARLES IWUOHA

The internal crisis rocking the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ebonyi State took another dimension as the former chairman, Comrade Nwogba Morgan, has described the inauguration of interim leadership as unconstitutional.

Nwogba, who is the United Patriots State Chairman, was ousted due to the recent deregistration of his party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC had recently deregistered over 70 political parties in the country due to their inability to meet stipulated requirements.

It was gathered that crisis enveloped in the opposition parties leadership of the state when some alleged members of the union invaded IPAC state headquarters and demanded for the office key, an action the incumbent chairman resisted on the ground that the process contradicts the union code of conduct.

It was further learnt that the group reported the incident to the police which led to the Chairman’s arrest and was accused of assault and threat to life.

However, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter-Party Relations and Labour Matters, Mrs. Jennifer Adibe Nwafor, has through the national delegates led by the National Secretary, Yusuf Dantalle of Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) and the National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, of New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) recently inaugurated an interim leadership in the state.

The exercise, which took place at the IPAC state headquarters, Abakaliki, saw Nchita Samuel Akahite of ADP emerge as the new Chairman of the council while Hon. Udume Evo Samuel of ADC as the State Secretary and Obasi James Alina was chosen as the Treasurer.

Other Officials include Chief Nwobegu Moses of Labour Party (LP), Publicity Secretary; Ani Paschal Ndubuisi of Accord Party (AP) Financial Secretary; Idoma Samuel of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Organizing Secretary; and Chief Ricky Okorouka of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as Youth Policy Adviser.

Speaking after the exercise, Mrs. Adibe Nwafor said: “Around February this year, INEC deregistered about seventy one Political parties which our former state Chairman’s party was affected.

“Thereafter, their leadership approached competent court of jurisdiction, wherein the court upheld the decision of INEC that they have the right to deregister Political party and as a State Chapter of National Organization, we don’t work on our own but follow the national directive.

“So, the current 18 registered political parties acting on court ruling has removed the former National Chairman out of office with Dr. Leo Nzenwa taking over with the new executive now going round all the states inaugurating interim leadership on ground of ‘doctrine of necessity’ since you can’t leave the office vacant. They therefore appointed a 7-man interim leadership to man the office pending when fresh election will be conducted.”

“I must say that my office is not sentimental as we are working based on our National Executive directive, and are ready to re-accommodate them if they are reinstated by Court”.

“I appeal to the former State executive not to go into violence but exercise patience as nothing is gotten through violence.”

Reacting over the development, the ousted Chairman, Comrade Nwogba Morgan, described the interim exercise inaugurated by the group as unconstitutional, noting that IPAC does not recognise interim leadership in its code of conduct.

He explained that since his party was one of the recently deregistered political parties, constitutionally, he was to hand over power to his vice Chairman but while waiting for court’s final verdict, “some unscrupulous elements under the pretence that they were sent by the newly court-installed National Chairman, Dr. Leo Nzenwa, inaugurated an interim leaders in the state.

“I am not saying that I will not hand over but we must follow the due process of allowing court to decide our fate.

“And on enquires, IPAC National Executive has not constituted any committee that has the legal right to move from state to state, setting up committees and that was why INEC did not give them backing to host the exercise at the state office.

“What they are doing is illegal because IPAC has a constitution which, whatever the organisation is doing, must be witnessed by INEC and I am calling every of our members to remain law abiding hoping that the right thing must be done to move the union forward.”

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