APC threatens to expel suspended members

The All Progressive Congress, Bayelsa State chapter, has threatened to expel some of its members recently suspended for anti-party activities.

The party recently expelled two and suspended seven of its leaders for anti-party activities.

The two expelled members are former Chairman of defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Perekeme Kpodo and a top member of the party, Mr. Sunday Oputu.

Those suspended were Mr. Godwin Sidi; Fred Akamu; Rosemary Okeazi; Chief Livinus Opratapu; Harrow Zuokumo; Enoch Koripamo; and Christopher Abariowei.

But the expelled and suspended members fought back on Tuesday under the auspices of The Integrity Group, claiming they had also suspended the state Chairman, Tiwei Orunimighe, his deputy, Eddy Julius and the Secretary, Marlin
Daniel, over allegations of anti-party activities.

Reacting to the development, State Publicity Secretary, APC, Mr. Panebi Fortune, described the purported suspension of the State Working Committee executive as a huge joke.

He said it was curious that persons who were supposed to be apologetic and remorseful for their wrongdoing could turn around in the name of an unknown group to suspend members of the SWC.

Panebi said the party had already set up an ad hoc disciplinary committee to further probe the activities of the suspended members and to review their punishment.

Panebi said if found unrepentant, the suspension could be converted to expulsion, adding that the party would not
allow anybody to sow a seed of discord within its fold.

Panebi also dismissed insinuations of internal crisis in the APC following the expulsion of Kpodo and Obutu and suspension of seven members.

He said, “What happened was that we discovered that some expelled members of the APC were recruited and paid huge sums of money by the Peoples Demoratic Party to cause problem in our midst.

“One of the expelled members deceived some APC members to use them for the purpose of creating crisis among us. We discovered on time and acted fast by suspending persons known to have met with the expelled member.

“As expected, these persons formed what they called the Integrity Group to fight back. They embarked on a failed jocular mission of issuing a statement saying that they have also suspended some members of the State Working Committee including our able Chairman, Mr. Tiwei Oruminighe.”

He said the statement was laughable as no group or organisation had the power to suspend members of the party apart from SWC.

“It is a huge joke. We really do not want to dignify these people with our response. But as an individual after reading the statement I laughed because the people sounded like comedians,” he said.