As the governorship election approaches in Bayelsa, crisis has tore apart the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State as two factions have emerged and the Chairman, Jothan Amos, Secretary, Alabo Martins and ten other members have been suspended over alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities which they claimed had been investigated and verified.
The members suspended by the faction led by the State Chairman, Jothan, are Honourable Ogeibiri Orubebe, deputy chairman; Chris Toborowei Olorogun, Legal adviser; Amasighan Azikiwe, Chairman Ekeremor local government council; Olorogun Isaac, Secretary Ekeremor Local government council and Peter Bofumu, Chairman Sagbama Local government council.
While the members suspended by another faction led by the State Deputy Chairman, Honorable Orubebe Ogeibiri, are 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.
According to the faction led by the State Chairman, the state executive working committee came up with the resolution to suspend the said members during an emergency meeting held at the state party secretariat in Yenagoa on Thursday, October 10, 2019, following a petition brought before it.
The State chairman, further explained that in alliance with the resolution reached by the committee that, the aforementioned people were suspended due to gross misconduct and anti-party activities which was reported and investigated.
He said, after the direct primaries of the party which saw the emergence of Chief David Lyon as the party’s candidate for the November 16 elections, it is expected that whatever diverse interest anyone had before the primary, should have been dropped for the overall interest of the party.
According to him, the said persons’ refusal to drop the pursuit of their personal interest, is a clear indication they are against the party and their actions could mar the predicted success of the party, necessitating their indefinite suspension from the party.
The Assistant Organising Secretary of the party, Tari Emberru who raised the motion for their suspension, maintained that the consistent show of truancy and misconduct by the affected persons undermine the unity and the constituted authority of the party should not be tolerated since they have been severally called to order without any result.
Also speaking in favour of the motion, the state party auditor, Barrister Doumo Ogbomani argued that the affected persons have acted against article 31 section A; subsection 7 of the APC constitution, stressing that a house divided against itself can not stand.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman led faction of the APC in the State also suspended seven of officers indefinitely over alleged acts of misconduct and intentionally creating division in the party.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that a State four-man Disciplinary Committee set-up to look into complaints against various party officials, during an Executive Committee Meeting presided over by the State Deputy Chairman, Honorable Orubebe Ogeibiri on October 10, 2019, at the State party Secretariat, announced their suspension.
The faction said it resolved that their suspension will serve as deterrent to others and instil discipline into the party.
According to a resolution made available to newsmen, the suspended party chairman, is 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 is “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 ranges 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. (Nigerian Tribune)
