The nine stalwarts of the All Progressive Congress in
Bayelsa State expelled and suspended by the All Progressives Congress,
Bayelsa State chapter, have described the decision of the party as
laughable.
The sanctioned members led by a former Security Adviser to
the State Government, Chief Richard Kpodo, said their purported
suspension and expulsion was illegal, unconstitutional and breach of
process.
They said the sanction without proper trial was a
deliberate act by some questionable characters to cause an implosion
within the party in the state.
The APC had on Monday 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.
The APC Secretary, Mr. Marlin Daniel, had said the duo of Kpodo and Oputu had since left the APC to join the opposition.
But Chief Perekeme Kpodo,who is one of the founding fathers
of the party in the state, while reacting to the development, said the
sanction is being challenged.
He said he and other affected members had filed a petition before the national leadership of the party.
He said the decision by a few officials of the party led by
a member of the Board of Trustees of the party is illegal,
unconstitutional and a deliberate action meant to cause an implosion
within the party.
Kpodo said if the APC did not put its house in order, they should forget winning the 2016 governorship election in the state.
He said, “It is funny that party men cannot come together
and discuss the way forward for the party. How can some persons accused
of criminal charges be selected to lead the party.
“This is the action you will get. They did not follow the constitution and set up avenue for fair hearing. It is criminal.”
Kpodo, who has been having a running battle with the former
Governor and leader of the party in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva,
accused Sylva of promoting crises within the party with the alleged hand
picking of members of the State Working Committee of the Party.
He said, “APC is a decent party and this is why we are
blaming Timipre Sylva. In fact, there are bitter complaints that have
been sent to the national leadership of the party.
“We want the national leadership to look at the complaint
and decide. And I believe that with what we have on the ground, if they
decide to put this same executive committee, they should forget about
the governorship election in the state.”
Also speaking on his suspension, an elder of the party,
Christopher Abarowei declared the action illegal and lacking in fair
hearing.
He said, “Some of the APC members allegedly connived among
themselves to suspend some party members without following the party
rules and constitution as well as the law of fair hearing.”
Abarowei said Marlin Daniel, who announced the suspension
was not qualified to do so as he had since resigned his position to
contest the last House of Assembly election.
“We the concerned members of the party still remain
resolute in the quest to bring change to the party for utmost result
ahead of the forth coming governorship elections in the state,” he said.
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