The Supreme Court has affirmed Sylvester Ezeokenwa as the legitimate National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
In a unanimous decision on Wednesday in Abuja, a five-member panel led by Justice Stephen Adah ruled that Edozie Njoku had no legal basis to claim the party’s leadership.
The leadership tussle between Ezeokenwa and Njoku, ongoing since 2023, has triggered multiple court cases and conflicting rulings. At one point, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew its recognition of Ezeokenwa and acknowledged Njoku following a court order in July 2024.
However, Justice Adah clarified that the Supreme Court’s earlier judgment in October 2021, which was corrected in March 2024, did not grant Njoku any enforceable rights. The apex court ruled that Njoku’s reliance on the 2021 verdict to claim APGA’s leadership was baseless, as no executory reliefs were awarded.
The court further faulted the trial court and appellate judges who previously ruled in Njoku’s favour, asserting they had no jurisdiction to hear the case initially. It dismissed the Court of Appeal’s June 2024 decision upholding the lower court’s judgment and imposed a fine of N20 million each on two members of Njoku’s faction listed as respondents.
Ezeokenwa, elected APGA National Chairman in May 2023 during a convention in Awka, Anambra State, succeeded Dr Victor Ike Oye. In contrast, Njoku maintained that a separate convention held in Owerri, Imo State, declared him chairman.
An INEC official, speaking anonymously, confirmed awareness of the judgment but said the commission had not received the certified true copy. The official assured that INEC would act in line with the law once the judgment is served.