The All Progressives Congress, APC, has confirmed that Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, were suspended as a result of activities termed to be against the party’s interest.
The same offence was responsible for the suspension of the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu, and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani.
Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, was also queried for the same purpose.
The confirmation was made by the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu.
In a statement, Issa-Onilu said the National Working Committee of the party would also recommend the expulsion of the suspended party members.
His words: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and the Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha for anti-party activities.
“The NWC has also taken a decision to recommend the expulsion of the suspended individuals to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
“The NWC has also issued a query to the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu over his glaring anti-party activities, which greatly affected the fortunes of our candidates in the recently-conducted presidential and national assembly elections in the state.
“The party reviewed the serial anti-party activities of the concerned individuals before and during the last presidential and national assembly elections in their respective states and resolved to enforce party discipline in line with our constitution.
“The NWC noted how the suspended members have continued to campaign openly for other parties and candidates that are unknown to our great party, even while they have constituted themselves to opposition to APC candidates in their respective states.
“We wish to reiterate that any member of our party who takes any action solely or in line with the directives of the suspended members to undermine our party’s candidates in the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections would face disciplinary actions.”
FrontPage reports that the party has been at loggerheads with Amosun and Okorocha over the governorship candidates of the two states.
While the party is supporting Dapo Abiodun in Ogun State, Amosun is supporting Abiodun Akinlade whom he said was the duly elected candidate during the primaries.
Following Amosun’s failure to convince the party over his choice, Akinlade moved to the Allied People’s Movement.
He has since been openly seeking support for Akinlade against APC’s choice, Abiodun.
However, he remained in the APC.
He was accused of invading the presidential campaign rally of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with thugs who hauled sachet water, stones and other weapons against dignitaries on the podium, including Buhari.
During the election held on Saturday, Amosun won a senatorial seat.
He has continued to campaign for Akinlade ahead of the March 9 governorship election.
In a similar vein, Okorocha is supporting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, of the Action Alliance, against that of the APC, Hope Uzodinma.
