The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress on Monday reacted to the crisis rocking the Bayelsa State chapter.
A directive by the National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the APC, Hilliard Eta, nullified recent suspensions and called on all the warring factions to sheath their swords and allow a committee set up by the zonal organ to probe the conflict and submit its report before further action.
The national vice chairman in a statement yesterday said “The spate of suspensions, counter-suspensions and general disorganisation of the Bayelsa State chapter of our great party – the All Progressives Congress, is disheartening.
“That the state chapter could be on the warpath at a time that it should be cohesively charting ways to successfully prosecute the election petition tribunal case concerning the recently held gubernatorial election, in which Seriake Dickson supposedly won, is even more saddening.
“As the Chairman of the party in the zone, I am particularly miffed by the state of affairs in the Bayelsa APC and I publicly exhort the aggrieved parties to sheath their swords.
“Going by the provisions of Article 21 of the amended constitution of our party, the suspensions are null and void and done in bad faith. In the said article, our constitution lucidly outlines the steps to be diligently followed for a party member or executive to be suspended.
“In the light of the aforementioned provisions, the suspensions carried out in Bayelsa were entirely null and void.”
He urged those concerned, especially the state chapter of the party, to, in the interest of the party, revert to “the status quo ante.”
“In the spirit of change, let there be peace,” he said.
Bayelsa APC had last week suspended a former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, and other party chieftains over allegations of anti-party activities.
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