Breaking: Imo APC Begins Contempt Proceedings Against Oshiomhole

The Daniel Nwafor-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State on Wednesday announced that it had commenced contempt proceedings against the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Nwafor disclosed this while addressing journalists at the APC secretariat in Owerri. He accused Oshiomhole of disregarding a valid court judgment which, according to him, recognised his executive as the authentic leadership of the APC in Imo State.

He also announced the suspension of Marcelenius Nlemigbo, chairman of the APC caretaker committee in the state, which was constituted by the national leadership of the party.

According to Nwafor, Nlemigbo’s suspension originated from the APC leadership in Ezinihitte Ward. The suspension letter was reportedly signed by the ward chairman, Henry Opara; secretary, Clinton Gbamanti; woman leader, Adaihuoma Ofeogbu; and youth leader, Dominic Lawrence.

Speaking on the leadership dispute, Nwafor said there was a subsisting court judgment affirming his faction as the legitimate executive of the party in the state.

“We have a court judgment which has affirmed that we are the authentic executive members of the Imo APC,” he said.

He added that the parties had been directed to appear before the court on January 24 to explain why the existing judgment should not be obeyed.

Nwafor further questioned why Nlemigbo and members of the caretaker committee continued to present themselves as the leadership of the party despite the court ruling and Nlemigbo’s reported suspension.

On Oshiomhole, Nwafor said his faction had initiated contempt proceedings because of what it considered a refusal by the national chairman to comply with the judgment of an FCT High Court.

“We have commenced contempt proceedings against Adams Oshiomhole over his decision to disregard a valid judgment of an FCT High Court. We have no option but to seek the intervention of the court,” he said.

Nwafor also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis, warning that the internal dispute could negatively affect the APC’s electoral fortunes in Imo State and the South-East.

Explaining Nlemigbo’s suspension, Nwafor read from a letter reportedly issued by the ward leadership, which accused the caretaker committee chairman of anti-party activities and of failing to attend meetings convened to address allegations against him.

The ward leadership consequently called on higher organs of the party to uphold the suspension, insisting that the required procedures under the APC constitution had been followed.