Anambra APGA Boss, LGA Party Chairmen on a Warpath, Soludo’s Re-election Faces Threat

By Our Reporter

Anambra’s ruling party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may be heading to another crisis ahead of November 8 governorship election, AnambraDaily has learnt.

The party’s latest travail could be self inflicted, a power and resource control tussle within the Anambra party leadership echelon.

According to inside sources, who are knowledgeable about the brewing crisis, the relative peace and stabilty being enjoyed by APGA after it’s hard won victory at the apex courts, was being threatened by the divisive leadership style of the Anambra State Chairman of the party, Chief Ifeatu Obiokoye, Igiligi.

Obiokoye is reported to have escalated simmering cold war with APGA National Chairman, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa by surmoning party’s chairmen from the 21 Local Government Areas of the state for daring to pay solidarity visit to the national chairman without his permission.

According to the source who craved anonymity, Chief Obiokoye felt slighted by the solidarity visit of APGA Council Chairmen and sought to cut them down to size by surmouning a hurriedly but poorly arranged ‘Special State APGA Meeting‘ with the intention to upbraid them in front of other State and LGA Principal Party Officials.

It was at that point ithat it became obvious that the LGA party chairmen were targeted for a “dress-down from Obi-Okoye whose one-man show approach and high-handed approach” is said to be hurting APGA at the state level.

“The LGA party chairmen were gearing up to honour the invitation when they got wind of the real intention of the state chairman’s surmons after he went further to invite other LGA executives including secretaries, Women Leaders, Youth Leaders, and 21 LGA Chairman of Ward Chairmen represented by four persons who ordinarilly take directives from the LGA party Chairmen”, the source said.

The source further revealed that APGA LGA Chairmen then decided to boycott the February 4, 2025 meeting to avoid ugly spectacle and save themselves from the humiliation planned by Chief Obi-Okoye, hence the empty canopies and eventual collapse of the meeting to the chagrin of Obi-Okoye who berated his four annointed Chairmen-of-Chairmen for not living up to his directive.

An APGA Local Government Chairman who spoke on the development in confidence due to the sensitive nature of the matter, confirmed the boycott. He revealed: “We were worried at how Chief Obi-Okoye personalizes everything at the detriment of party interest. He hardly calls meetings with the Chairmen and always tries to sabortage attempts to galvanize the party faithful.

“If he has anything against the National Chairman let him go and sort it and leave us out of it. Someone should advise him to stop polarizing the party at a time we should be preparing for gubernatorial elections. As party leaders at the grassroots, the LGA Chairmen do not want anything that may hurt APGA chances at the polls.”

Spirited attempt made to speak to the State APGA Chairman, Obi-Okoye was not successful as he was said to be out of the office.

A cross-section of APGA faithful who spoke on the subject hold the view that Obi-Okoye’s tenure as Anambra State Chairman has been un-eventful. And that if the latest cracks are allowed to develop further, it may threaten the re-election of the incumbent Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

“My worry is that if he does not rally the local government Chairmen to ensure that APGA work as a cohesive unit, Governor Soludo’s re-election may be affected and the party may end up losing the state it has hold for over 22 years now”, a female member of the party told AnambraDaily.

Another local government party chieftain who gave his name simply as Mr. Okonkwo stresses the need for urgent move to address the crisis to avoid further damages. “The last thing we should be talking about now is war between state and local government party leaders. We should be busy strategizing on how to secure Soludo’s second term with landslide victory.