By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The intriguing internal and leadership crisis bedevilling the African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Tuesday April 7, 2026, assumed a dramatic dimension, with some self-acclaimed State Chairmen proclaiming loyalty only to the Dumebi Kachukwu (equally) non-existent National Executive Committee, NEC.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on Wednesday April 1, opened the gate for renewed crisis within the ADC, following the announcement of its withdrawal of recognition from the David Mark-led NEC.
The Commission had cited a subsisting Court of Appeal judgment directing parties in the ADC leadership tussle, namely the Nafiu Bala Gombe and Mark-led leaderships to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of a substantive motion before an Abuja Federal High Court.
But while the dust raised by the unexpected decision of the INEC was yet to settle, some self-acclaimed State Chairmen under the leadership of its leader and Abia State “Chairman” Norman Obinna, a.k.a Sheikh Agu Ibeku, not only declared their support for the INEC decision, but insisted that the only recognised ADC NEC remains that headed by the party’s former Presidential Candidate Kachukwu.
“We are in total support of INEC in derecognising the David Mark-led faction.
“ADC has no faction. We are the legal leadership, and the only NEC that is legal and authentic is that led by Dumebi Kachukwu”, Norman stated.
However, since his controversial Tuesday outing, Norman’s trajectories have been expectedly placed on the spot, with not a few questioning his claim to Abia State ADC leadership as well as his motives.
Checks by this magazine revealed that Norman, just like Nafiu Gombe, was part of the ADC leadership structure at the State level that gave way for the final emergence of the Mark-led national leadership in July 2025.
And like Nafiu Gombe, Norman, popular as Sheikh Agu Ibeku is alleged to be prodded by some vested political interests that have coalesced in the APC to renounce and condemn an arrangement which he is fully privy to.
Curiously however, the forces alleged to be backing his ADC expedition are the same interests that, a couple years back, sought to put him out of circulation for his alleged bullying and blackmailing tactics culminating in the police declaring him wanted in 2017.
In an exclusive interview with this medium on Wednesday April, 8, 2026 Justus Ogar, a retired Superintendent of Police SP, and the officer who led the manhunt and arrest of Norman over allegations of Cyber-stalking and posting of false and misleading statements against some individuals, described him as, “dangerously smart”
The Source reports that the Abia State Police Command had, in the wake of a petition written by Engr Chinedu Orji, son of former Governor Theodore A Orji, declared Norman wanted after several fruitless efforts at arresting him.
“The above named person ( Norman Obinna) is hereby declared wanted by the Nigerian Police Force . A warrant of arrest has been issued by a Magistrate Court in Umuahia. He is wanted by the police for the offence of Cyber-stalking, sending/posting of offensive ,false messages by means of Computer System/Network , Sedition , Blackmail etc…..”, the police wanted declaration partly reads.
SP Ogar, currently a Lagos-based Security Expert,and Consultant , informed that Norman was finally apprehended at the premises of an Umuahia-based FM Radio station, Flo, during a live programme.
“Sometime in 2017, we received a petition from one Chinedu Orji, son of the former Governor of Abia State, T.A Orji, accusing Obinna of Cyber-bullying and blackmail.
“After the petition ,we moved into action in search of Obinna who was then resident at Ajao area of Lagos.
“We traced him to his residence in Lagos, but he evaded us. At a point, we had to arrest his wife and two children. But we had to release them after taking their statements at Ajao police Division.
“We also made efforts in Umuahia his home town, but he continued to evade arrest.
“However, at a point when he probably thought that the matter had been forgotten, he appeared in a live programme on Flo FM Radio Umuahia. We mobilized and arrested him at the Radio station.
“After a thorough investigation which led us into the examination of some variables ,we prepared our report which was in three stages with the final report establishing a prima facie case against him as alleged.
“We sent our reports to the State Police Command. But unfortunately, my boss, the then Commissioner of Police, CP in Abia State, was transferred to Delta State, from where he was promoted straight to Deputy Inspector -General of Police DIG and sent to Force CID Headquarters.
“So, I was not around when he was arraigned ,and I don’t really know the State of the case in Court. But when we left I contacted my second-in-command to avail me copies of the charges . However ,I am not in a position to say if the case is still on or not .
” I also remember that Prof ABC Agbazuere ,who later became the Chief of Staff to former Governor iOkezie Ikpeazu was part of those who petitioned against Norman’s alleged Cyber-stalking and blackmail.
“During the investigation, I had the opportunity of gaining an insight into part of his lifestyle. He was referring to himself as ” Sheikh” ” Agu Ibeku” and he was known for posing for photographs with people lining up the street ,and he will thereafter be posting same online ” Ogar stated .
Interestingly, this magazine gathered that the same forces that complained bitterly about his alleged blackmailing antices are today majorly hibernating in APC , with speculations rife that Norman’s ADC adventure allegedly enjoys their support.
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