APC suspends Lokpobiri, 12 others for alleged anti-party activities

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State on Thursday suspended a former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri, a former member of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Council, Engr. Preye Aganaba and 11 others for alleged anti-party activities.

Also suspended were the APC Deputy Chairman in the state, Orubebe Ogeibiri, a former Member of the Federal House of Representative, Hon. Warman Ogoriba, and former member of the party Board of Trustees, Perez Peretu.

Others were the chairmanship aspirant in the state, Sunday Frank-Oputu, a former House of Representative candidate, Osom Blankson, Samuel Aredeh, Ebierein Falla Itubo, Pius Otia and a former Publicity Secretary of the party, Fortune Panebi.

The APC chairman in Bayelsa, Jonathan Amos, the Secretary, Alabo Martins and 27 other members of the state executive committee had endorsed the suspension and forwarded the same to the party National Vice Chairman, South-South, Chief Ntufam Hilliard Eta, for approval.

The party Publicity Secretary in the state, Doifie Ola Buokoribo, said in a statement in Yenagoa that the decision followed the recommendation of the party’s fact-finding and the disciplinary committee set up in July last year and in accordance with article 21(B) and (D) of the APC constitution 2014(as amended).

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

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“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 in the state.”

Lokpobiri, who was an APC governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, had been at loggerheads with the party leadership over the conduct of the party governorship primaries held in September last year.

He had insisted that the exercise which produced David Lyon as the APC flag bearer in the election was fraught with irregularities and challenged the process in court.

However, his application for nullification of the exercise was dismissed by the Supreme Court last month.

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