By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended former governorship aspirant and former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and 12 others over anti-party activities.

Also suspended are a governorship aspirant and a former member of the President Buhari Campaign Council, Mr Preye Aganaba, and State Deputy Chairman, Orubebe Ogeibiri.

The list of suspended members also includes a former member of the House of Representative and the Director-General of the Lokpobiri Governorship Campaign Organization, Hon. Warman Ogoriba, a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Party, Hon. Perez Peretu, Hon. Sunday Frank-Oputu, a former House of Representative aspirant, Hon Osom Blackson, Samuel Aredeh, Ebierein Falla Itubo, Pius Otia and a former Publicity Secretary of the Party, Hon. Fortune Panebi.

Already, the State Party Chairman, Hon Jonathan Amos and the State Secretary, Hon. Alabo Martins led over 27 signatories of the State Executive Committee of the Bayelsa chapter of the party to endorse the suspension and forwarded same to the National Vice Chairman of the Party, South-South, Chief Ntufam Hilliard Eta.

The State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Doifie Ola Buokoribo, in a statement issued on Thursday in Yenagoa stated that the suspension of Lokpobiri and 12 others followed the recommendation of the fact-finding and disciplinary committee inaugurated on 31st of July, 2019 and in accordance with article 21(B) and (D) of the APC constitution 2014(as amended).

According to the statement,” the committee objectively looked into the several allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them that ran contrary to the provision of the APC constitution, morally and a good conscience which brought about great electoral misfortune for the party.

“The action was to set clear signals to deviants masquerading in the party especially those working against its collective interest and aspirations. We, however, thank Bayelsans and its numerous supporters for keeping faith with the party and for the above solidarity during and after the November 16, 2019, governorship election.”

However, one of the suspended members, Hon Ogoriba described the suspension as a big joke. According to him, his purported suspension is null and void as they do not have the powers to suspend him.

“Those guys are jokers. They should be ashamed of themselves for allowing the party to go through what it went through in Bayelsa. I was not invited to any disciplinary committee to explain my own side. There was no fair hearing. They do not even have the powers to suspend me.” (The Sun)

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