APGA dispels leadership crisis rumour, says party intact

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has condemned the attempts by people it called detractors to create leadership crisis in the party when there was none.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, told our reporter on Thursday in Awka that there was no crisis in the party.

Obi-Okoye, who reacted to the report of purported delegates meeting of the party in Owerri, Imo, said it was untrue.

He said APGA got a hint that some expelled members of the party wanted to meet with a former Imo gubernatorial candidate of the party, Chief Martin Agbaso, but were stopped following a security report.

“There is a report making the rounds that some people purporting to be members of APGA met in Owerri to woo a former member of APGA to be their leader; this is not true.

“We got wind of the meeting about two weeks ago and after reporting to the Directorate of State Security (DSS), they invited Agbaso who disowned them.

“Agbaso told the DSS he did not have knowledge of their meeting and as such, said the meeting did not hold,’’ Obi-Okoye told NAN.

“We condemn this move to create problem for our party which is the most peaceful, united, coherent and stable political party at the moment under the leadership of Dr Victor Oye.

“For the purpose of emphasis, Chief Martin Agbaso is a PDP member because there is no record available from the national down to the ward levels that he has returned to APGA.’’

Obi-Okoye warned those causing confusion in the party to desist as APGA would use every legal means to stop them from issuing reports that were misleading.

Reacting, Agbaso told our reporter that there had been overtures on him from several quarters to work for APGA again.

The former candidate of APGA in Imo said that he represented the dejected, the disenfranchised, the marginalised which the party stood for and could not have abandoned the party.

He confirmed that he joined the PDP at a time because of the prevailing circumstances then but did not leave APGA.

Agbaso said that he had not told anybody that he was accepting to serve the party in any capacity but would make a public statement soon.

“The truth is that people felt bad when I left APGA to join PDP and told them that I did not leave in anger but something came up at that time and I wanted to win for APGA.

“I represent those who are concerned about disenfranchised people, who do not have access to good life, educated unemployed youths and unempowered women and people who yearn for good governance and that is what APGA is all about.

“If you a member of APGA today, you are APGA for life until all those issues APGA stands for are addressed.

“There has been consistent call from all strata of APGA and across the country on me to come and work for the party and I told them I will participate in the activities at the appropriate time.

“I have not told anybody that I am accepting any responsibility but I will respond to all that in a public statement, I have always said that I will do so at the appropriate time,’’ he said.