Gales Of Suspension Brewing Trouble In Bayelsa APC

Tension has gripped the ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State. The pervading mood cuts across the entire strata of the party, ranging from state, local and ward levels, following the gales of suspension that have greeted the party.

The executive council members that have ordered the suspension of some of their members accused them of allegedly involved in anti-party activities such as working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Key members ousted The roll call of members affected by this suspension include a number of the party bigwigs in the state. They include; David Lyon, the 2019 governorship candidate of the party, who defeated Governor Douye Diri, however, his election was upturned by the Supreme Court and returned Diri as elected governor.

Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) the only minister from Bayelsa’s; Mr. Jothan Amos (Former State Chairman of the APC; Godless Diriwari (Ex-Officio member, National Executive of the party), Mr Omiebi Fuoebi; Sabi Morgan (LGA APC Youth Leader), Barrister Peres Biewari (Current Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Bayelsa State), Mr Timiondi Fabofieghe (APC Chairman, Ward 3. Southern Ijaw LGA); and all the ward executive members of the party; Mr Claudius Odobu (APC Chairman, ward 4, Southern Ijaw LGA), and all members of the ward 4 executive council of the party.

While in Sagbama Local Government Area, the suspended members include; Barrister Peres Peretu; Matthew Karimo; Major Oputa; Tangi Samuel; King Bolouyi Sufadoh; Goodluck Ebomu; and Youdio-gwei Benjamin.

Party leaders

Speaking on the development during a press conference held recently in Yenagoa, the state capital city, Mr Ebikazi Gbefa, who is the local government APC Chairman and Mr Ayebanoah Amakiri, party Secretary respectively, stated that the people were suspended for embarking on anti-party activities.

This is as they noted, ‘‘recalled that the said stakeholders and members of the party have been involved in anti-party activities since the Senatorial bye-election in 2020 when they allegedly conspired with the Peoples Democratic Party candidate and worked against their party’s candidate then, Mr. Ebifemowel Abel.’’

They also alleged that during the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state, the suspended members openly worked for Diri, adding that some of them were compensated with contracts and appointments.

They further stated, “As we strive to rebuild the party ahead of 2027, it is our resolve to strengthen the party and build confidence in party grassroots members who believe in and have sacrificed remarkably for the party in the state. It is a common saying that.

“It is better to go to war with fewer loyal and committed soldiers than numerous and uncommitted number of soldiers. It is on this premise that we, the under signed executives of the Southern Ijaw APC, hereby suspend them indefinitely from the party.

“Cases of other members who were involved in anti-party activities are being investigated and consequential actions shall be taken against them in due course. “We hereby further refer this suspension to the State Executive of our party for concurrence and ratification.”

Also, the executive council members of APC in Ekeemor through their Chairman, Mitin Eniekemi and Frlogha Paris, Assistant Secretary said it has resolved to suspend the Minister for State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri and the current Commissioner for Power, Bayelsa State, Engr. Karin Kumoko, for anti-party activities and fractionalisation of the party in the state.

They said the suspension was supported by the powers conferred on the executive of the party at any level of the party’s constitution 2022 as amended.

According to them, Lokpobiri and his followers have been involved in anti-party activities since the 2019 gubernatorial election when he sought to be the standard bearer of the party but the party members did not support his ambition.

According to them, “In the 2023 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, he led a group of disgruntled party members to openly support and worked for Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party and was compensated by the PDP-led government of Bayelsa State.

‘‘His personal Aide, Engr. Kharin Kumoko, was nominated by the Minister for. State, Petroleum Resources. (Oil) and appointed as the current Commissioner for Power in Bayelsa State.

“It is on record that from the day he was appointed as Minister, he has been fighting the party in Bayelsa State and has refused to make peace despite all entreaties.

“It is on this note that we, the under signed executives of the Ekeremor Local Government Area, hereby suspend Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and Eng. Kharin Kumoko indefinitely from the party.” APC chieftains fault suspension

It is better to go to war with fewer loyal and committed soldiers than numerous and uncommitted number of soldiers

A number of the party chieftains in the state have faulted the action, noting that it is not in line with the party’s dictates. They particularly the suspension of Lokpobiri and Lyon among several others.

Orubebemienkumor in a press statement revealed that the suspension was Illegal, null and void, maintaining that the act was borne out of sheer ignorance by the individuals behind it.

According to him, “For the record, the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not have an existing executive from the state level down to the ward level across the state.

“This situation arose due to a valid court order issued on January 20, 2023, by Judge L. T. Cocodia of the Yenagoa High Court. The order nullified the congresses of the wards, local government areas, and the state, held between September 3 and 4, and October 16th, 2021.

“The court order also set aside the congresses conducted on the aforementioned dates and granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining anyone from parading themselves as executives of the party.

“To the best of my knowledge, this order has not been vacated by any superior court, leaving one to wonder on what basis anyone would wake up and announce the indefinite suspension of critical stakeholders and respected leaders of the party.”

He further noted, “In the light of above, the purported suspension constitutes a contempt of court and should be completely disregarded, as one cannot place something on nothing.’’

While Edwin Osomkeme Blankson in his reaction to the development, called on the National Working Committee of the party not to only sanction those individuals trying to disgrace the party, but also to promptly establish an acting committee for the party in the state, with the aim of restoring order within the state.

He said these individuals have no authority to convene meetings or suspend any member of the party. He said that the action stems from a complete misunderstanding of the current situation within the Bayelsa chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I would like to address the claims regarding the suspension of former APC governor-elect, Chief David Lyon and the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,’’ he stated.

Adding, “To set the record straight, I filed a case in the state High Court in January 2022, challenging the legitimacy of the congress that produced the current party officials at the state, LGA, and ward levels.

“The court agreed with my arguments, and on January 20, 2023, delivered a judgment nullifying the entire party Exco. This ruling included a restraining order against these individuals from representing themselves as Chairpersons or members of the APC Exco in Bayelsa.

“The judgment is alive and still valid and as it stands now, Bayelsa State does not have a valid exco from the state to the ward level. “Therefore, there is no suspension.

In the eye of the law these people do not exist. For me, it is not something to be worried about because Bayelsa doesn’t have a valid exco.

“I want to also call on Mr President to intervene in this Bayelsa issue so that the national can come up with a caretaker committee in view of putting the party together.

APC in Bayelsa as it stands now, we don’t have party officials. Nobody can claim anywhere that he is an exco of APC. “I urge the Commissioner of Police and all relevant security agencies to remain vigilant regarding the actions of these individuals, who are looking to ferment trouble in Bayelsa State.

“Should these actions continue, I will not hesitate to initiate contempt of court proceedings against them?” Otiotio: Suspension not by state exco When the Bayelsa State Chairman of APC, Dennis Otiotio was contacted by this correspondent on the latest development, he said that nothing was happening in Bayelsa APC.

He said:” Nothing is happening. It is not the state executive committee. It is the local government that is calling for their suspension.

We have not been briefed. We are going to meet to look into it, but for now, we have not been notified, so it is the local government that did the so called suspension. It is not the state.”