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The All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State has expelled two and suspended seven of its leaders for anti-party activities.
The two expelled members were former Chairman of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Perekeme Kpodo and a stalwart 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.
At a press conference in Yenagoa on Monday, APC Secretary, Mr. Marlin Daniel, said the duo of Kpodo and Oputu had since left the APC to join the opposition.
He said they had been expelled when Kpodo, in particular, said the APC was dead on arrival, stressing that such suspension subsisted till date.
He said, “We want to make it clear that they are not members of the party. They have since been expelled. Kpodo was expelled when he allegedly said the APC was dead on arrival in the state.
“Oputu himself has not been part of the party. But we are surprised of recent that they have been calling party meetings, in what capacity, we do not know.
“We want to alert the members of the general public to know that they are not part of the APC in Bayelsa State and that nobody should deal with them in that respect. We are aware that the re-emergence of these people was sponsored by the PDP government of Seriake Dickson.
“These people have recruited others who are not APC members and have been holding meetings in Richard Kpodo’s hotel. Money is shared to them and this money is from the PDP government through Kpodo and his co-travellers.”
He said a five-man ad hoc disciplinary committee had been set up to investigate the activities of those suspended.
Daniel said the committee is headed by Peres Peretu while Tokpo Coronation is the Secretary. Other members of the committee were Eke James, Chris Alagoa and P. Arepade.
Daniel clarified that there was no rift in the APC in Bayelsa, stressing that the executive committee members and members of the party were confident in the leadership of their chairman, Mr. Tiwei Orunimighe.
Reacting to the expulsion, Kpodo said it was a huge joke.
He said they had no power to suspend or expel him, saying it is they that should be expelled for not doing their jobs well.
Kpodo said the purported expulsion was unconstitutional, wondering why they said they had since expelled him when the leader of the party, Chief Timipre Sylva, and executives were in his house to solicit his support during the last general elections.
Source – Punch
