APC Wards Suspend Lauretta Onochie, Bauchi Chair
The Chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Lauretta Oniochie, has been suspended from the All Progressives Congress over alleged anti-party activity.
This was as the APC in Kukadu Gundari Ward, Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State also suspended the state APC chairman, Alhaji Babayo Misau, for alleged anti-party activities.
Onochie’s suspension was conveyed in a letter signed by 27 executive members of ward 4, Onicha-Olona in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The letter was titled: “Loss of confidence and suspension of Lauretta Oniochie as member of the APC in Onicha-Olona ward 4, Aniocha North Local Government Area.”
The ward said the decision followed a review of Oniochie’s conduct during the just-concluded general elections.
The letter read in part, “We, the under-listed, are the ward executive members of the All Progressives Congress in Onicha-Olona ward 4 Aniocha LGA Delta State.
“We have painstakingly reviewed the conduct of the just-concluded general elections at all levels and have noted, with dismay, that Onochie, who is one of the leaders of our great party, worked against the success of the party in Onicha-Olona Ward 4, and beyond.
“Information available to us show very clearly that she was openly campaigning for candidates of opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party, in the run-up to the presidential and National Assembly as well as the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.
“It was also observed that all her allies and supporters were working for the PDP in the state. The evidence of this could be seen in the fact that the party lost in her polling unit 8, ward 4 in the presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and state Assembly elections.”
The ward also alleged that Oniochie failed to fulfill her financial obligations to the party, adding that she never attended any ward and LG meetings or other party engagements.
But when contatcted, the APC Chairman, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Matthew Chinye.
He said, “There is nothing like suspension; the letter is rubbish; it is the handiwork of mischievous persons. Somebody is just being foolish for coming out with such letter.
“We are looking into it and we will come out with our own position today (Monday). When we finish with our investigation, we make our position known.”
Meanwhile, in Bauchi, the Chairman, Kukadu Gundari Ward, Alhaji Ibrahim Lawan, announced the suspension of the state APC chair, Misau, at a news conference on Saturday in Abuja.
The ward chairman said Misau was suspended following an emergency meeting of the ward executive members on Friday where anti-party allegations against him were considered.
“We are here to announce the suspension of the Bauchi State APC chairman in the person of Alhaji Misau as the chairman and member of the APC.
“All the allegations of anti-party activities, abuse of office and the violation of party’s constitution have been proved beyond reasonable doubts.
But reacting to the suspension, Misau told NAN on Sunday in Abuja that the action was “null and void’’.
“They don’t have the powers to suspend me. They’d need to consult with other ward and council chairmen of the party before they can take such action.
“What they did is totally unacceptable and not in consonance with the party’s constitution,’’ Misau told NAN.
