‘We didn’t forge signatures of APGA members’

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faction
loyal to Alhaji Sadeeq Masall has denied forging the
signatures of some executives of the party on the
attendance list of National Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting of the party held on July 12, 2012.
Chief Victor Umeh, who has been reportedly
restrained by an Enugu High Court from taking steps
to convoke a national, state or local government
executive committee meeting of the party, and his
group, had brought the allegation and is also
prepared to take legal action.
The Masalla group claimed that the document
published in some national dailies, purporting to
have emanated from them, were forged as it did not
contain any attribute of the letter head.
Denying the allegation, the Masall group disclosed
that it had formally complained to the Inspector-
General of Police (IGP) that he should commence
perjury proceedings against some members who had
sworn to an affidavit alleging that their signatures on
the list were forged.
Alhaji Masall countered that they never forged
anybody's signature.
"What we are doing in the party is voluntary and
aimed at repositioning the party, and to remove it
from the clutches of one man," he said.
"For one of us to deny what one is part of and
swearing an oath about it is most unfortunate, no
amount of intimidation or blackmail can stop us from
getting our party back on track.
"If you look at this publication and our letter head
carefully, there is distinct difference between the
logo published and the logo on our letter head.
"In the one published in the papers, Chief Umeh and
Alhaji Shinkafi's telephone numbers are on it, among
other telephone numbers, but on this one I am
holding, which is the authentic letter head, it has
only my number and that of the acting National
Secretary, Dr. Okwenna.
"I am sure they superimposed the signatures
published in the papers as there are shadows on the
publication which clearly shows there were
superimpositions.
"Even the INEC stamp is bold on top and very small
at the bottom of the same letter and I doubt if a
commission would stamp twice on the same
document.
"The letter we submitted to INEC had 98 names, not
20 or 11. What we have here is entirely different from
what we sent to INEC.
"The matter has been reported to the Police and the
IGP has authorized that the issues of perjury raised
should be investigated," he added.