Jos — A faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Plateau State chapter which was earlier replaced by a caretaker yesterday condemned the national caretaker committee of the party which appointed Chief Maxi Okwu as the Acting National Chairman of the party describing the move as "illegitimate, illegal and a gross violation of party's constitution."

A statement signed by the state factional Chairman Ali Yahaya Ali and made available to newsmen in Jos said the group will maintain its loyalty and support to the sacked national chairman Chief Victor Umeh and wish that the governor of Imo state Rochas Okorocha will be appointed as the national leader of the party against Governor Peter Obi who was recently appointed by Okwu led group.

On the party crisis in Plateau State, he said the leadership under Ali Yahaya Ali and Barr Peter Gyang Choji, chairman and secretary and their exco remain the legitimate leaders in the state because the state exco has never been dissolved or sacked by the national leadership of the party.

"Our assurance goes to our teaming supporters that the exco in the state is still intact, therefore, they should desist from engaging in any activities whatsoever with the caretaker committee in the state.

There is no any convention or constitutional provision of the party that approves such an act", he said.

The party also called on the Plateau State government to as a matter of urgency make all the necessary arrangement to set a date for the conduct of local government election so as to allow democratically elected structures to man the affairs of the local councils.