The Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday said that it has suspended Chief David Lyon, the governorship candidate of the party in Bayelsa State in 2019, over alleged an- ti-party activities. Others said to have been suspended are Mr. Jothan Amos, former state chair- man of the APC in Bayelsa State, Hon Godless Diriwari, ex-officio member of the party), Mr. Omiebi Fuoebi, Sabi Morgan, LGA youth leader), Barr. Peres Biewari, Commissioner for Lands and Survey in Bayelsa State, Mr. Timiondi Fabofieghe, Chairman, Ward 3, Southern Ijaw LGA) and all the ward executive members of the party. Speaking in Yenagoa on Friday during a press briefing, Mr Ebikazi Gbefa, the Chairman and Mr Ayebanoah Amakiri, Secretary of the party in the local government, stated that the people were suspended because they embarked on anti-party activities.
The group said that having considered the report of the disciplinary committee set up in accordance with Article 21.3 (I) of the party’s constitution 2022 as amended, it therefore re- solved to suspend them. They said that the suspension was pursuant to Article 21.1 (I), which provides “subject to the provisions of this article and the right to fair hearing, adding that the party shall have power to discipline members of the party. The group disclosed that the party’s constitution pro- vides that “the power shall be exercised on behalf of the party by the respective executive committee in line with the provisions hereunder. It would be recalled that the said stakeholders and members of the party had been allegedly involved in anti-party activities since the senatorial bye-election of 2020, when they were said to have conspired with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and worked against their party’s candidate, Mr. Ebifemowel Abel. They also alleged that during the 2023 guberna- torial election in Bayelsa State, all the suspended members openly worked for Governor Douye Diri of the PDP, adding that some of them were compensated with contracts and appointments.