The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has reinstated the Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, along with several other senior members previously suspended from the party. This decision came after a comprehensive meeting that included the state executive committee, party lawmakers, and local government leaders.
The primary agenda of this gathering was to resolve the internal turmoil stemming from the suspension of key figures in the Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Sagbama, and Yenagoa local government areas.
Notable individuals who had faced suspension included Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and Chief David Lyon, who was the party’s gubernatorial candidate during the 2019 elections.
Following a press briefing on October 15 at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, a formal communique was released.
The statement, co-signed by Chief Dennis Otiotio-Odoni, the state chairman, and Acting State Secretary Owutuamo Tamaranpreye, confirmed that the suspensions were lifted in response to a request from the minority caucus of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and after extensive discussions within the party.
The communique detailed the party’s decision to postpone the ratification of the suspensions to enable further consultations with essential stakeholders, following the recommendations made by the APC caucus within the state Assembly.
Furthermore, the extended executive committee and the APC Assembly Caucus denounced the recent actions of the Bayelsa Commissioner for Power, Mr. Kharin Kumoku, who allegedly led a group to launch an attack on the APC state secretariat.
The party called upon Governor Douye Diri to take necessary measures to address the situation by reprimanding the commissioner, and urged both the Commissioner of Police, Francis A. Idu, and the state Director of the DSS to investigate the incident.
The Bayelsa APC reaffirmed its commitment to democratic principles and expressed a desire to resolve conflicts through constructive dialogue.
Additionally, the party encouraged its members and stakeholders to maintain decorum, emphasizing the significance of unity for achieving success in the state.
