By Chiemeka Green, Yenagoa
A factional leadership has emerged in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State following the suspension and counter suspension that have divided the state executive officers of the party ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
The factional group of the state chairman, Jonathan Amos in a statement on Thursday, said the state executive committee of the APC in Bayelsa State has suspended Ogeibiri Orubebe, deputy chairman; Chris Toborowei Olorogun, legal adviser; Amasighan Azikiwe, chairman Ekeremor Local Government Area; Olorogun Isaac, secretary Ekeremor Local Government Area and Peter Bofumu, chairman Sagbama Local Government Area.
He said the state working committee came up with the suspension following a petition brought before it at an emergency meeting held at the state party secretariat in Yenagoa.
Jonathan Amos explained that in alliance with the resolution reached by the committee, the aforementioned people were suspended due to reported gross misconduct and anti-party activities which were investigated.
The state assistant organizing 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 constituted authority of the party and should not be tolerated since they have been severally called to order without any result.
Meanwhile another faction of the APC, in Bayelsa State has indefinitely suspended seven of its officers over alleged acts of misconduct and intentionally creating division in the party.
Those suspended are Jonathan Amos, state chairman; Martins Alabo, state secretary; Peres Oyadongha, senatorial youth leader; Iniekenimi Senator Mitin, LGA youth leader (Ekeremor); John K. Williams, LGA organizing secretary (Ekeremor); Osadebe Ezinrin, LGA treasurer (Ekeremor); and Lovely Agwor, LGA organizing secretary (Sagbama).
According to a resolution made available to newsmen, the suspended party chairman is accused of refusing to account for millions of naira that accrued to the state chapter of the party as administrative charges from national and state assembly aspirants.
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 Committee contrary to Article 14(3) 7 of the APC constitution.
The offenses of other suspended officers range from allegations of impersonation and connivance to deliberately creating divisions among party members.
