Amid the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, two chieftains of the party in the state, Izzi Yakiah and Marlin Daniel, have disagreed over who is the leader of the party in the oil-rich state.
The argument over the leadership of the party in Bayelsa comes after executives of the APC in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas, on Friday announced the suspension of key members of the party including the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri.
The suspensions were reportedly due to anti-party activities and alleged factionalisation of the party.
READ ALSO: Ekeremor LGA APC Suspends Lokpobiri
While one of the two party chieftains in the state who were guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, insisted that former governor Timipre Sylva is the leader of the party in the state, the other maintains that Lokpobiri had long replaced Sylva as leader.
“The issue in respect to leadership in Bayelsa APC is not in contention because the party has a constitution and the constitution of the party is very clear,” a party chieftain Izzi Yakiah said.
“In a state where there is a sitting governor, the sitting governor is the leader of the party, in a state where there is a former governor, the former governor is the leader of the party.
“And we know all well that Bayelsa APC has a former governor who was a former minister, His Excellency Chief Timipre Sylva, who had led the party through all the while. He remains the substantive leader of the party in the state.”
However, former Secretary of the party in the state, Marlin Daniel, disagreed, saying, “Heineken Lokpobiri is the leader of the APC in Bayelsa as it stands now.”
“Today if anything is happening in that state, it is the Minister that would be called upon and there is no time a minister will not be as far as Federal Government exists.
“At every point in time there must be a minister from the party, Sylva has been the leader, but as long as it is now, Lokpobiri is the leader – there is no dispute about it.”
Apart from Lokpobiri, two serving commissioners in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led Bayelsa State government, who are also APC members were among those suspended.
In Southern Ijaw, the APC executives also announced the suspension of David Lyon, the 2019 APC governorship candidate, and the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr. Peres Biewari, along with six other members for alleged anti-party activities and gross misconduct.
The suspended members were accused of undermining the party’s interests, particularly during the 2020 Bayelsa State bye-election.
The APC leadership said investigations are ongoing, and additional findings regarding other members involved in anti-party activities will be made public once the inquiries are concluded.
