The All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State has expelled two leaders of the party in the state for anti-party activities. The APC also suspended seven others for similar offence.
The two expelled members are a former Chairman of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Perekeme Kpodoh; and Mr. Sunday Oputu, a top member of the party.
The APC also suspended Godwin Sidi, Fred Akamu, Rosemary Okeazi, Chief Livinus Opratapu, Harrow Zuokumo, Enoch Koripamo and Christopher Abariowei, all leaders of the party in the state.
At a press conference in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Monday, the party secretary, Mr. Marlin Daniel, said both Kpodoh and Oputu had left the APC to join the opposition.
Daniel said the two had been expelled when Kpodoh, in particular, said the APC was dead on arrival and that the suspension subsisted till date.
He said, “We want to make it clear that they are not members of the party. They have since been expelled. Kpodoh was expelled when he allegedly said the APC was dead on arrival in the state.
“Oputu himself has not been part of the party. But we are surprised that they have been calling party meetings; in what capacity, we do not know.
“We want to alert the members of the general public to know that they are not part of the APC in Bayelsa State and that nobody should deal with them in that respect. We are aware that the re-emergence of these people is sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party government of Seriake Dickson.
“These people have recruited others who are not APC members and have been holding meetings in Richard Kpodoh’s hotel. Money is shared to them and this money is from the PDP government through Kpodoh and his co-travellers.”
He said a five-man ad hoc disciplinary committee had been set up to investigate the activities of the members suspended. Daniel said Peres Peretu would preside over the committee while Tokpo Coronation is the secretary.
Kpodoh said the purported expulsion was unconstitutional, wondering why they said they had expelled him long time ago when the leader of the party and former governor, Timipre Sylva, and party executives came to his house to solicit his support during the last general elections.
