By OSIBEROHA OSIBE, Awka

The outcome of the Supreme Court judgment billed for October 20, 2021 next week has let the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State in jittery and tends to worsen the already polarised rank and file of the party, with each camp out to work against the interest of the other aftermath of the verdict.

Currently, APGA has three rival National Chairmen: Victor Oye backing Chukwuma Soludo’s governorship ticket, Jude Okeke supporting Chukwuma Umeoji and Edozie Njoku, respectively, believably rooting for Nicholas Ukachukwuas different flag-bearers for the November 6, 2021 governorship election.

The Supreme Court judgment is coming on the heels of replacement of Umeoji’s name earlier enlisted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with that of Soludo and rejection of Oye’s application for joinder by the Court of Appeal, which ordered him to return to the High Court where Njoku was given recognition as the National Chairman to seek for such relief.

The Guardian gathered that implosion being awaited in APGA might have compelled the stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious and town union leaders to settle for an alternative party that will not only produce the next governor of Anambra State, but also be in strong contention for the 2023 Presidency.

An impeccable source, who confided in The Guardian, contended that the stakeholders were not keen on supporting the candidate of APC, Senator Andy Uba, over alleged anti-Igbo sentiment of the party and counterpart in Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, over anti-power shift aspiration.

The development in Imo State where the serving governor came to power through Supreme Court’s controversial verdict, and the attendant killings, arson and disappearance of some youths that trailed the governor’s one-year in office, the stakeholders observed, are ominous signs that APC is not desired in Anambra State.

As a way out, the stakeholders, according to the source, have developed soft spot for ADC, which not only has an Igboman from Anambra State, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, as its National Chairman, but also a one-time-time Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, who is deemed not to have a political baggage.

According to the source, the stakeholders are good to go with ADC, which with the backing of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, emerged as a consensus party to produce the presidential candidate in the lead to the 2019 election, but for last minute development.

Further investigation by The Guardian showed that last week’s declaration of the former Young Progressives Party (YPP), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, is putting ADC in a better stead for both the 2021 governorship election and 2023 presidential contest.

It was gathered that Moghalu’s entry into ADC was part of the strategies to open a floodgate, which will see no fewer than 10 other good presidential materials join ADC as an alternative party to APC and PDP at the national level. (The Guardian)

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