The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, alongside its 2019 Bayelsa governorship candidate, David Lyon, for alleged involvement in anti-party activities. The suspension was part of a broader disciplinary action taken against key party figures in Bayelsa State, following a review by APC leadership.
Among the other prominent figures suspended are Commissioner for Power Kharim Kumoko, Commissioner for Lands and Survey Peres Biewari, former APC state chairman Jothan Amos, and Southern Ijaw APC Youth Leader Sabi Morgan. These suspensions were announced during a press briefing in Yenagoa by Mitin Eniekenemi Senator, APC Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area.
Lokpobiri was accused of leading factions within the party and allegedly collaborating with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly during the 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa. The APC claimed that Lokpobiri and his associates worked against their own party’s interests and supported Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, receiving appointments and contracts from the PDP-led government in return.
Similarly, David Lyon, who contested the 2019 Bayelsa governorship election under the APC, was suspended along with seven others by the APC Southern Ijaw LGA leadership for allegedly undermining APC’s National Assembly candidates and working with the PDP during the 2023 governorship election.
These disciplinary actions highlight internal divisions within the APC, particularly in Bayelsa State, as it prepares for future political battles.
