APC Rebukes Deputy National Spokesman, Denies Party Divided Into Factions

Odigie-Oyegun1

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has denied a statement credited to its deputy national publicity secretary, Timi Frank, that the party is divided.

The party described the comments credited to Mr. Frank as his persona opinions, not that of the APC.

The APC deputy national publicity secretary had in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday, claimed that there is a crisis in the party, despite denials to that effect.

Frank, who was reacting to allegations that APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva “sold” the state’s ministerial slot to Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, lamented the inability of the national leadership of the party to steer it from troubled waters.

He said: “I spoke in Bayelsa (about the impending crisis) but they did not take me seriously. Very soon, it (crisis) will happen at the national level too. If anyone tells you that there is no crisis in the national APC, it is a lie.

“The party is now divided into two. The issue of the Senate president is still there and the party is not talking. So, there is crisis in the party. We have so much divisions and they are keeping quiet. If care is not taking, we are soon going to lose our popularity as a party”.

But the National Secretary of the party, Mai Mala Buni, last night dismissed the claim about division in the party, saying: “The bogus and misleading allegations are unnecessary distractions to the party’s resolve to fully support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration deliver on the motley promises made by our great party to the electorate”.

According to Buni, “the APC national leadership remains united and solidly committed to the task of bringing cohesion to the party at all levels.

“Recently, the APC held its National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings where positive and far-reaching decisions were collectively taken by the party’s leadership to drive it forward.

“The party will not deny anybody or interest the right to seek justice where he feels this has been denied him.

However, we sincerely appeal that we all play by the rules in our engagements and be guarded in our utterances.

“The public is advised not to misinterpret or confuse Comrade Timi Frank’s personal opinions to be the official position of the party or the true reflection of what is happening inside the party.

“For the umpteenth time, only the APC National Chairman and the National Secretary are authorised to officially speak for the party”.