Bayelsa APC crisis deepens, chairman, Dep, Sec suspended

The crisis that hit the Bayelsa state chapter of the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) in the governorship election in the state has deepened, with the suspension of three key exco members.

The chairman of the party in the state, Chief Timipa Tiwei Orunimighe, his deputy, Eddy Julius and secretary, Daniel Marlin have all been suspended from the party indefinitely.

Aggrieved members of the APC in the state led by the Minority Leader in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon Israel Sunny-Goli announced their suspension at a press confer­ence in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Sunny-Goli alleged that the trio at a media conference levied unfounded allegations and unsavoury statements against the party’s governorship candidate in the last governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.

According to him, Sylva remains the leader of the party in the state, adding, that, “Tiwei wants to destroy the party as his attempts to land juicy appointment at the federal level has not materialised.”

Orunimighe had at a press conference, had accused Sylva of hijacking federal appointments meant for members of the
party in the state.

He had also called on Lokpobiri to resign as he is not a member of the party.

Read also: APC may soon collapse, Dep nat’l spokesman says

But Sunny-Goli stated that “It is unfortunate that Tiwei would be making baseless allegations. His statement that Lok­pobiri is not an APC member is enough proof that he is afraid of the calibre of people coming into the party to help build it in the state. We can no longer accept his attitude as chairman.

“We cannot allow him to speak for the party again. Tiwei’s allegations are unfounded. The party would sit down and commence disciplinary actions against him to serve as deterrent to others. He has over prized himself and nobody is going to take him serious. Since he could not get the running mate ticket, he has been bitter and seeking for ways to betray and destroy the party.

We are aware of his role in the last governorship election and we know him for who he is,” Sunny- Goli said.

The State Executive Committee of the party in a statement signed by the Party’s Publicity Secretary, Hon. Panebi Fortune after an emergency meeting reaffirmed that the trio have been suspended indefinitely pending the conclusion of investigations against them.

Meanwhile armed policemen have taken over the party secretariat at Melford Okilo road, Yenagoa.

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