I Was Not Suspended - APGA Chairman Claims

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Victor Oye, has said that he is still in charge contrary to speculations in some quarters.

Oye newsmen in Awka on Friday that there was no substance in the speculations, adding that APGA was growing more formidable under his leadership. Reacting to the speculations, the party chieftain described its authors as saboteurs and dissidents who were working with those against the progress of APGA to destroy it.

Oye said the party just concluded its monthly working committee meeting with all 29 members in attendance and wondered why just four members could generate such report even when they attended the meeting.

“The report about my suspension or sack is rubbish; it holds no substance whatsoever. I am talking to you from my office where we just had our NWC meeting attended by all members.

“I am surprised that just four people could go and generate such malicious story from nowhere. These people were also in our meeting. I tell you they are enemies of APGA. They are saboteurs and best described as dissidents; there is no crisis in APGA.

“It is unfortunate that some media organisations have used that story without confirmation; it is unethical not to balance a story, especially when it is not true,” Oye said. The chairman lauded the supporters of APGA in the recent Edo gubernatorial election but described the exercise as ‘not a true reflection of the minds of the people’ .

Oye said it was ridiculous that a party which was the third largest in the country could not garner up to 1,000 votes according to the result released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“APGA joins other political parties to condemn and reject the published results of Edo governorship election. It was not a true reflection of the minds of the people of Edo,” he said.

Some members of the party on Oct. 6 said that Oye and other national officers had been suspended for alleged gross misconduct.

A report credited to the Deputy National Secretary of the party, Chief Jerry Obasi, had named the other suspended members as the Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Abubakar Adamu and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Uchenna Okogbuo.