APC suspends Lokpobiri, Orubebe, 10 others in Bayelsa

A former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development and former governorship aspirant in the last election, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, is among the suspended party bigwigs.

The party also suspended a former governorship aspirant in the State and a former member of the President Buhari Campaign Council, Preye Aganaba, and State Deputy Chairman, Orubebe Ogeibiri.

Others are a former member of the House of Representative and the Director-General of the Lokpobiri Governorship Campaign Organisation, Warman Ogoriba, a former member of the Board of Trustee of the party, Perez Peretu, Sunday Frank-Oputu, a former House of Representative aspirant, Osom Blackson, Samuel Aredeh, Ebierein Falla Itubo, Pius Otia and a former publicity secretary of the party, Fortune Panebi.

APC suspends 12 chieftains of the party in Bayelsa [Pulse] Pulse Nigeria

The State party chairman, Jonathan Amos and the State secretary, Alabo Martins led over 27 signatories of the State Executive Committee of the State chapter of the as party to sign the suspension which has also been forwarded to the national vice chairman of the party, South-South, Ntufam Hilliard Eta.

Doifie Ola Buokoribo, the spokesperson of the party in a statement issued on Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Yenagoa, the stated capital, said that the suspension of Lokpobiri and the 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.

"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 statement said.

“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.”

The suspension comes weeks after the Supreme Court declared the Peoples Democratic Party candidate winner of the Bayelsa governorship election over a certificate forgery case against the APC deputy governorship candidate at the poll.