The Anambra State Government has sealed the state office of a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Awka, Anambra State.Edozie Njoku leads the APGA faction.
Sly Ezeokenwa is the national chairperson of another APGA faction backed by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.
The building in Udoka Housing Estate also houses the campaign office of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
On Tuesday, some officials of the Anambra State arrived at the complex in the company of soldiers and police operatives and sealed the offices,
The South-east National Vice-Chairperson of APGA, Tony Uche Ezekwelu, told reporters that the state government must have felt threatened by the party’s growing popularity since Mr Njoku became the factional national chairperson of the party.“We came to the office this morning to monitor the sale of expression of interest forms for the councillorship and chairmanship for the September 28 local government election. “As I was coming, I saw some of our party officials struggling with officials of the state government who were accompanied by the police and the army, and they said they came to seal our party office following an order from above,” Mr Ezekwelu narrated.Continuing, he said: “Their reason was that the area was initially mapped out as a residential area and not for commercial activities.
“Our concern was that there was no previous notice. This is our new party office since we came into office two months ago.“There are many commercial offices in this area, including Nonye Soludo’s Healthy Living. Over the years, political parties have always used this area as their campaign office, but nobody has sealed it.”
The national vice chairperson said that in addition to Mr Obi’s campaign office, past governorship and presidential candidates had offices within the building.“What happened here is unfortunate, and we know it is all politics. If there was any default, we ought to have been written instead of swooping into our office as if terrorists were occupying the place.
“They should know that this is the official state office of APGA and the only one for that matter as recognised by the law. Maybe they’re worried that APGA members have been trooping into the place, and that rattled them,” he said.
