The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa as the legitimate National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), effectively ending a protracted leadership crisis within the party.
A five-member panel of the apex court delivered two unanimous judgments, dismissing Chief Edozie Njoku’s claim to the party’s leadership.
The court held that its previous decision in the APGA leadership dispute, delivered on October 14, 2021, and corrected on March 24, 2023, did not confer any enforceable rights on Njoku.
Justice Stephen Adah, delivering the lead judgment, clarified that the 2021 decision provided only declaratory reliefs and did not grant Njoku any executory rights to enforce. He emphasized that the question of a party’s leadership is an internal matter and not justiciable.
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“It was improper for Njoku to seek enforcement of a judgment that granted no enforceable reliefs,” Justice Adah stated, faulting lower courts for relying on the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling to declare Njoku as APGA’s National Chairman.
The apex court nullified the Court of Appeal judgment of June 28, 2024, which had upheld a Federal High Court ruling recognizing Njoku’s leadership. Additionally, it imposed fines of ₦20 million each on two members of Njoku’s faction.
Following the judgment, Barrister Ezeokenwa praised the judiciary for resolving the leadership crisis.
“The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man,” Ezeokenwa said. “Today’s judgment affirms our leadership and the convention that brought us into office.”
He criticized the actions that prolonged the dispute, describing them as a result of “selfish ambition” that destabilized the party.
“This is a victory for APGA and democracy. We are now fully focused on rebuilding and strengthening the party for the future,” Ezeokenwa concluded.
The Supreme Court’s decision brings closure to APGA’s leadership tussle, reaffirming Sly Ezeokenwa as the authentic chairman of the party.
