Awka – The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has described the sudden death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Chief James Ocholi, on Sunday as tragic and painful.

In a statement to commiserate with the Kogi and federal governments as well as the Ocholi family in Awka on Monday, the National Chairman of the party, Dr Victor Oye, expressed its condolences.

“We deeply regret the sudden death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Chief Ocholi (SAN) and members of his family, wife and son, along the busy Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“That they died in such a tragic and impromptu manner, particularly now that their services to the nation are most needed, made the losses immeasurably painful.

“We pray God to grant their souls rest and the President, Muhammadu Buhari, the fortitude to bear the loss,” it said.

The party, however, called on the government to endeavour to put the nation’s highways in good shape and called on concerned agencies to ensure that drivers on the highways adhered to the speed limit and avoided other forms of recklessness.