PEACE may finally return to the house of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) following reported move by the two factions of the party to seek an out-of-court settlement of the crises that have rocked its leadership.
The attempt, it was gathered, came as a result of the recent decision of the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to finally conduct local council elections in October.
Also, to ensure that the party repositions itself for the proposed elections, the Maxi Okwu-led faction yesterday constituted a 14-member Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee, headed by its former governorship candidate in Abia State, Chief Regan Ufomba.
The committee is to interface with the group that was inaugurated by the Chief Victor Umeh-led faction, to begin the processes of returning lasting peace to the party.
Briefing the media on Tuesday in Abuja, APGA factional chairman, Okwu noted that the Umeh constituted committee, led by Mr. Ziggy Azige, had begun moves to reconcile the two factions by paying visits to certain stakeholders and opinion molders in the party.
He said the party was ready to settle its differences outside the courtroom, to ensure that “it positions itself very well for the October local council elections in Anambra State.”
Okwu stated that his group decided to set up the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee in order to reciprocate the gesture from the Umeh group, stressing that the committee would sit in Abuja, Enugu, Awka and Lagos, as well as visit party members it feels are critical to the final resolution of the crises.
“The High Court of Anambra State has given judicial backing and insisted that the April national convention of the APGA, which was supervised by INEC at Awka, remains sacrosanct,” he said.
“So, we are focused now on how to get the party fully back on track; we need the input of everybody on board. You may recall that earlier when I emerged, I stated that my intervention would centre on the reconciling, reintegration and repositioning of the party.
“I am happy to also announce to you that the Chief Victor Umeh-led group is already thinking towards that line and had already begun moves to reach major stakeholders and opinion molders of the party, to see what they can do to close ranks.”
Okwu restated his extension of an olive branch to that group because he believes that they could achieve more if they were united.
“I do so again today because the party belongs to all of us,” he said. “I am also happy to announce today that the leader of the party, Chief Peter Obi, the executive governor of Anambra State, has announced that the local council elections in the state will conducted in October. With that declaration, I believe that a long-standing and hanging issue will be addressed.”
He stressed that to meet the move by the reconciliation and review committee set up by Victor Umeh, “we are reciprocating by setting up a 14-member Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee, under the chairmanship of Chief Regan Ufomba, to immediately go into action, to listen and hear from the aggrieved members, including those who had left the party as a result of one reason or the other.”
“The committee will sit publicly in Abuja, Enugu, Awka and Lagos to hear the grievances of members,” he said.
“They will also visit those who they feel are critical to the final resolution of the party crises and submit their reports by the end of June. Thereafter, we will match forward with a true and reconciled and united APGA that will prepare for the local council elections in Anambra State.”
Okwu said he was aware that, “we can settle out of court, with these moves by the two factions. We are at junction now and I believe that in the near future, all of us will reconcile.”
“We are open-minded about this because we are not desperate. We would like to reconcile and I urge Chief Victor Umeh to imbibe the team spirit, since his committee has gone to certain people within the party, seeking reconciliation. It is a welcome move.
“Our goal is to settle out of court and we are ready to play any role that will make it happen. I have seen certain signals that have made me believe it will happen.”
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