Faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday disclaimed the purported removal of former health minister, Dr. Tim Menakaya, from the party's Board of Trustees (BOT), insisting that Alhaji Sani Shinkafi who made the declaration has no legal status to do so.

Acting national secretary of the Sadiq Masalla faction, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, said only the national convention of the party can remove a BOT member.

Shinkafi, last week reportedly wrote Dr. Menakaya and two other members of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) who are serving in Governor Peter Obi's government, informing them that their membership of the various bodies have been terminated.

Dr. Okwenna said the action cannot be allowed as the suspension on Shnkafi is still subsisting, saying the constitution of the party did not give anybody the right to remove any such top member from his or her position as claimed by Shinkafi.

"It is therefore preposterous for such suspended national officer to claim to be acting for the party and in that line attempt to insult the only living symbol of that organ of the party, which is indeed the 'conscience of the Party' and on whose trust it is to ensure high morale of members and highest standard of morality in the Party activities.

He explained that though Article 10 (10) of the party's constitution stipulated the membership and composition of APGA BOT, it did not give Shinkafi or Umeh the right to unilaterally remove such a top party official from office.