The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reversed the suspension of Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, and other party leaders.
This decision came after an extended meeting of the party, which included members of the state executive, sitting state assembly members, and local government chairpersons. The meeting focused on addressing the ongoing crisis caused by the suspension of key stakeholders from Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Sagbama, and Yenagoa local government areas.
Among those suspended were Senator Lokpobiri and former APC governorship candidate Chief David Lyon.
A communiqué issued on Tuesday, October 15, after a press conference at the party secretariat in Yenagoa, stated that the suspensions were put on hold following a plea from the minority caucus of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, which consists of the only elected APC members in the state.
The communiqué was signed by APC state chairman Chief Dennis Otiotio-Odoni and acting State Secretary Owutuamo Tamaranpreye.
The extended state executive committee resolved to suspend the ratification of the suspensions to allow for further consultations with important party stakeholders, as advised by the APC caucus.
Additionally, the communiqué condemned the actions of state Commissioner for Power, Mr. Kharin Kumoku, who allegedly led thugs to invade the APC State Secretariat in an attempt to set it on fire. The communiqué stated that if not for the quick response of security operatives and vigilant party members, the incident could have escalated.
The party called on Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri to address the commissioner’s behavior and urged the Commissioner of Police, CP Francis A. Idu, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Bayelsa to arrest and investigate the commissioner.
