Politics
LESS than six weeks to the November 16 governorship election the post-primary governorship election crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bayelsa State chapter escalated as two camps of the State Executive Committee (SEC) announced suspension of members.
The camp of the Chairman, Mr Jothan Amos, believed to be loyal to the governorship candidate of the party, Chief David Lyon, and the Minister of State for Petroluem, Chief Timipre Sylva suspended the Deputy Chairman, Ogeibiri Orubebe, Chris Toborowei Olorogun, Legal Adviser, Amasighan Azikiwe, Chairman APC Ekeremor local government council, Olorogun Isaac, Secretary APC Ekeremor local government and Peter Bofumu, Chairman Sagbama local government council.
Ogeibiri believed to be loyal to former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development and governorship aspirant, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, suspended Amos, the party secretary, Mr. Martins Alabo, Mr. Peres Oyadongha, Senatorial Youth Leader, Mr. Iniekenimi Senator Mitin, LGA Youth Leader Ekeremor; Mr. John K. Williams, LGA Organizing Secretary Ekeremor; Mr. Osadebe Ezinrin, LGA Treasurer Ekeremor; and Lovely Agwor, LGA Organizing Secretary Sagbama.
Mr Tari Emberu who moved the motion to suspend the affected officers of the party maintained that their consistent acts of misconduct had continued to undermine the unity of the party. He disclosed that the suspended officers’ refusal to desist from pursuing actions inimical to the progress of the party and its governorship candidate made their indefinite suspension from the party imperative.
Amos in a statement personally signed by him said the SEC after deliberating on a petition against the suspended officers passed a resolution to suspend them from office over proven acts of gross misconduct and anti-party activities which were in breach of Article 31, Section A, subsection 7 of the APC constitution.
However, the Ogeibiri camp in a resolution signed by 19 members of the State Executive Committee which it said was in pursuant to the report of the state’s four-man disciplinary committee over formal complaints against Amos and the other state officials, said their suspension would serve as a deterrent against indiscipline.
According to a resolution made available to newsmen, the suspended party chairman, was accused of “refusal to account for millions of naira that accrued to the state chapter of the party as administrative charges on National and State Assembly aspirants.
On the other hand, the APC State Secretary, Mr. Martins Alabo was “accused of flagrantly breaching the party’s constitution by presiding over State Executive Committee meetings and inaugurating a purported Disciplinary, Contact and Reconciliation Committees contrary to Article 14(3) 7 of the APC constitution.
The offences of other suspended officers ranged from allegations of impersonation and connivance to deliberately create divisions among party members.
Following the development, the Bayelsa State Executive Committee of the APC has appointed the State Vice Chairman, Bayelsa Central, Chief Fala Ebierein Etubo as Acting Chairman in line with the party’s constitution.
-Oct 11, 2019 @18:50 GMT |
Tags: Fresh crisis hits Bayelsa APC as party splits
