Romanus Ugwu, Abuja and Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a fresh twist, yesterday, as billboards, banners and posters bearing  names and photographs of the embattled National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at the party national secretariat were pulled down.

As at Wednesday night, the massive billboards bearing pictures of President Muhammadu Buhari and Oshiomhole mounted at the beginning of the street leading to the secretariat, at the entrance gate and inside the compound were intact.  Perhaps, to prove he is no longer in charge, ahead of scheduled APC emergency NEC meeting next week, the giant billboards and posters had disappeared to the chargin of many that thronged the secretariat in the early hours of yesterday, leaving only that of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The mega banners bearing his pictures and name at the entrance gate announcing a mega rally in his support  were also defaced.

Also attacked were the two big posters congratulating Waziri Bulama as the party’s National Secretary, jointly bearing pictures of the former Edo governor and Buhari sponsored by the APC Integrity Politidal Action Committee (APC-IPAC) as well as the massive poster sponsored by a group, Save Nigeria-Buhari Ambassador, signed by its national coordinator, Jazeel Jamil Ibrahim, congratulating Bulama over his controversial appoint.

Inquiries made from the security agents manning the entrance gate on why they permitted his removal from the billboards, revealed that the sponsor, Sarduaunau Badarawa (SAN Trading Hausa) replaced them.

Meanwhile, the party has suspended former governorship aspirant and former minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and 12 over anti-party activities.

Also suspended are a governorship aspirant and a former member of the President Buhari campaign Council, Mr Preye Aganaba and State Deputy Chairman, Orubebe Ogeibiri.

The list of suspended members also includes a former member of the federal House of Representative and the Director-General of the Lokpobiri governorship campaign organisation, Warman Ogoriba, former member of the Board of Trustee, Perez Peretu, Sunday Frank-Oputu, former House of Representative aspirant, Osom Blackson, Samuel Aredeh, Ebierein Falla Itubo, Pius Otia and a former Publicity Secretary of the Party, Fortune Panebi.

The state chairman, Jothan Amos and the secretary, Alabo Martins led over 27 signatories of the State Executive Committee to endorse the suspension and forwarded same to the National Vice Chairman of the party, South-South, Chief Ntufam Hilliard Eta.

State Publicity Secretary, Doifie Ola Buokoribo, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, yesterday, said the suspension followed the recommendation of the fact finding and disciplinary committee inaugurated on 31st of July,2019 and in accordance with article 21(B) and (D) of the APC constitution 2014(as amended).

One of the suspended members, Ogoriba, has described the suspension as a big joke.