A former member of the Federal House of Representative, Hon. Henry Ofongo, and two others have faulted as illegal and lacking in fair hearing their suspension last week from the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa over allegation of anti-party activities.
Hon. Henry Ofongo described his announced suspension as a violation of the section 36 (1) of the party constitution which stipulated that any accused member of the party should be given fair hearing and allowed to defend his or herself over the allegation brought against him or her.
The duo of Comrade Ebide Brown and Comrade Moses Hitler, who were also suspended for alleged support of the zoning arrangement between Sagbama /Ekeremor which purportedly did not favour the APC flag bearer, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, described their suspension as illegal as those who announced their suspension have also been suspended by the Chief Fala Ebierein Etubo faction of the party.
Hon. Ofongo, who is a chieftain of the APC from Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, in a statement via electronic mail, called on the national leadership of the APC to set aside the decision of the Bayelsa State Executive Committee and accord him fair hearing over the alleged anti-party charges.
According to Ofongo, “The allegation leading to my suspension is still a mystery to me. I urge the party to accord me fair hearing by availing me the petition or allegations against me and also allow me to respond to same before any decision is taken”
On their part, Comrade Ebide Brown and Comrade Moses Hitler, who are also the chairman and spokesman of the group known as APC Grassroots Mobilisation Sagbama-Ekeremor, said their suspension is illegal.
In a jointly signed statement in Yenagoa, they described their suspension as inconsequential, baseless and obnoxious, saying ” the self-acclaimed members of the party SEC led by Amos Jotham that initiated the process are incapacitated and were indefinitely suspended over alleged acts of misconduct and for intentionally creating division in the party.”
“Their indefinite suspension was in line with the report of the state four-man disciplinary committee over formal complaints against them and, it was done in an executive meeting presided over by the state deputy chairman, Mr. Orubebe Ogeibiri on October 10, 2019 at the state party secretariat.”
“Following the indefinite suspension of Mr. Amos Jotham and six other officials, the State vice chairman ,Bayelsa Central, Chief Fala Ebierein Etubo was appointed as acting chairman in line with the APC constitution. The constitutionally recognized APC chairman and secretary in Ekeremor LGA are Mr. Amasighan Azikiwe and Mr. Olorogun Isaac respectively.
“The self- appointed chairmanship position of Mr. Eniekenemi Mitin is unconstitutional as he cannot break ranks to become the LGA chairman of APC in Ekeremor because he was the Youth leader of APC in Ekeremor LGA.”
“It is also of significance to inform the general public that the objectives of APC GRASSROOT MOBILIZATION SAGBAMA-EKEREMOR harmonize with that of the APC constitution on our irreversible position on the zoning arrangement in Bayelsa West but our voice was not heard by the party leadership.”
“They ended up giving the party ticket to an Ekeremor candidate, brazenly violating the zoning arrangement in Bayelsa West when there are credible, faithful, reliable and grassroot-oriented politicians like Princewill Igbagara, Captain Mathew Karimo, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, Mrs. Stella Cooker, Rtd Major Oputa and others from sagbama LGA.”
“We are still Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State. We have played unquantifiable roles in the success of APC in past electoral victories and the likes of the indefinitely suspended State Chairman, Mr. Amos Jotham, Mr. Martins Alabo and Mr.Eniekenemi Mitin do not have the constitutional capacity to suspend us.”
“Besides, their purported suspension did not even follow the laid down stipulations according to Article 21(B) subsection ( 1-6) of the APC constitution and so does not hold waters.”
