October 11, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekeremor LGA of Bayelsa State, has suspended the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and others, for alleged anti-party activities
Others include the state Commissioner for Power, Kharim Kumoko; Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Peres Biewari; former state APC chairman, Jothan Amos; an ex-officio member of the APC National Executive Council, Godbless Diriwari; Southern Ijaw APC Youth Leader, Sabi Morgan; APC Ward 3 Chairman, Omiebi Fuoebi, and Ward 4 Chairman, Claudius Odobu, along with their respective executive members.
Chairman of the APC in Ekeremor, Mitin Eniekenemi, who announced the suspension on Friday, accused Lokpobiri of working against the party in the November 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
“In the 2023 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, he led a group of disgruntled party members to openly support and work for Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party and was compensated by the PDP-led government of Bayelsa state,” PUNCH quoted him as saying.
“His personal aide, Kharim Kumoko, was nominated by the minister of state, petroleum resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and appointed as the current commissioner for power in Bayelsa state.
“It is on record that since 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”, he said.
In a related development, the chairman of the APC in Southern Ijaw LGA, Ebikazi Gbefa, has announced the suspension of David Lyon, the party’s governorship candidate in 2019, and seven other people for alleged anti-party activities.
“The same set of stakeholders and their supporters openly worked against our national assembly candidates,” the newspaper quoted Gbefa as saying. Some of them were compensated with contracts and appointments.
“For example, Perepuighe Biewari who was chief David Lyon’s personal assistant, was nominated by Lyon and appointed as the current commissioner for lands and survey in the Douye Diri administration in Bayelsa state,” he said.
The suspensions have been referred to the APC State Executive Council for ratification.
