The Abia State chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon. Nkem Okoro, has confirmed that Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye, the national chairman of the party is being probed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over alleged extortion of money from aspirants during the 2018 primaries conducted in Abia and Imo states.
A statement signed by him and issued in Umuahia, the state capital, Tuesday, claimed that Oye-led National Working Committee (NWC) of APGA fraudulent activities have continued to demean APGA across the 36 states of the federation.
The statement read partly, “During the last APGA governorship primaries, APGA got to her lowest point since its formation as a political party, due to the criminal extortion and demeaning corruption committed by the former national leadership led by the former National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye.
“These atrocities affected the party at all levels, especially in Abia, Imo and Anambra where passionate party members and aspirants were not only extorted and defrauded, but were unjustly shortchanged and humiliated. You may have repeatedly heard some people describe it as a Ponzi Scheme; such was the extent of public odium they subjected our members to.
“As we speak, the former National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye has remained a regular guest of the EFCC and the courts, as cases of fraud and criminal extortions hang on his neck. These are just suits and petitions from men who have the capacity, the means and the desire to seek redress”.
Meanwhile, as at the time of this report, attempts by our reporter to reach Mr. Tony Orilade, the EFCC spokesman for further confirmation of the probe was unsuccessful.
But, Ozonkpu Oye has denied the claims that he extorted money from aspirants during 2018 primary election, disclosing that the funds generated in the sale of nomination forms from the aspirants is intact in the party’s bank account.
Oye had severally been quoted in the media as saying, “They (Aggrieved members) had wanted to remove the national executive and install a stooge as the new national chairman, someone they would continue to manipulate and control, someone who would just be a figurehead, while they stay by the side remote-controlling and dictating to him.”
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