Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has been suspended from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his ward.
Lokpobiri and David Lyon, the party’s candidate for the Bayelsa governorship in 2019, were suspended due to purported anti-party conduct.
In addition to Lokpobiri and Lyon, several other notable members have also faced suspension, including Kharim Kumoko, the Commissioner for Power; Peres Biewari, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey; former APC state chairman Jothan Amos; NEC ex-officio member Godbless Diriwari; and Sabi Morgan, the Southern Ijaw APC Youth Leader.
These actions were taken following a disciplinary assessment conducted by the party’s leadership in Bayelsa State.
During the announcement in Yenagoa, Senatpr Mitin Eniekenemi, the APC Chairman for Ekeremor Local Government Area, accused Lokpobiri of fostering divisions and collaborating with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after his unsuccessful attempt to secure the APC governorship nomination in 2019.
He further alleged that Lokpobiri and his supporters had actively endorsed Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri and the PDP during the 2023 elections, receiving appointments and contracts in return.
“In the 2023 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, he led a group of disgruntled party members to openly support and work for Gov. Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party and was compensated by the PDP-led government of Bayelsa State”, he said.
Eniekenemi added: “His personal aide, Kharim Kumoko, was nominated by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and appointed as the current Commissioner for Power in Bayelsa State.
“It is on record that since the day he was appointed as minister, he has been fighting the party in Bayelsa State and has refused to make peace despite all entreaties.”
Similarly, the APC Southern Ijaw LGA leadership, led by Ebikazi Gbefa, announced the suspension of David Lyon and seven others for undermining APC’s National Assembly candidates and conspiring with the PDP in the 2023 governorship race.
Gbefa said, “The same set of stakeholders and their supporters openly worked against our National Assembly candidates” pointing out that they also worked for Diri and the PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
“Some of them were compensated with contracts and appointments. For example, Perepuighe Biewari who was Chief David Lyon’s Personal Assistant, was nominated by Chief David Lyon and appointed as the current Commissioner for Lands and Survey in the Gov. Douye Diri administration in Bayelsa State.”
