Heineken Lokpobiri and Preye Aganaba top the list of the 14 All Progressives Congress leaders suspended by the party in Bayelsa State for alleged anti-party activities on Friday.
Ex-Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development Lokpobiri and Aganaba both took part in the September 4, 2019 governorship election in the state.
Others are Warman Ogoriba, Orubebe Ogeibiri, C.T. Olorogun, Pius Otia, Osomkime Blankson, Samuel Aredeh, Ebierien Itubo, Peres Peretu, Sunday Frank-Oputu, Azikiwe Amasigha and Fortune Panebi.
Lokpobiri and Aganaba challenged the outcome of the primary that produced David Lyon as the candidate of the APC for the polls in court.
But the court ruled against them, affirming Lyon as the authentic candidate of the party for the November 16, 2019 governorship election.
Lyon progressed to win the election.
But the Supreme Court stopped him on the eve of his inauguration as governor because the deputy governor-elect Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo submitted forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party, who came second in the election, became governor.
In a statement, spokesman for the APC in the state, Doifie Buokoribo, said their suspension followed the report of the disciplinary committee set up on July 31, 2019 to probe allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them.
Buokoribo said the panel was constituted in accordance with Article 21, Sub-section B and D of the APC constitution, 2014 (as amended).
He said, “The State Executive Committee of the party objectively looked into the several allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them that ran contrary to the provisions of the APC constitution, morally and good conscience, which brought about great electoral misfortune.
“The action is to send signal to deviants masquerading in the party, especially those working against its collective interest and aspirations.”
Lokpobiri, Ogoriba and Frank-Oputu could not be reached for comments as they did not answer calls placed to their mobiles.
Aganaba, however, told Saturday our reporter that his media aide would issue a statement but he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
