The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the suspension of governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun of Imo and Ogun State respectively, will not work against the party’s victory during the governorship/state assembly elections on March 9.
APC spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at its Friday meeting, suspended Messrs Okorocha and Amosun over anti-party activities.
The two governors have been supporting other governorship candidates other than those fielded by the APC.
Also suspended were the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, and the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Usani.
Mr Issa-Onilu said: “As to the effect it will have in the coming governorship and state House of Assembly elections, the real negative effect will come when we allow our members who are in position of influence to undermine our candidates.
“We need to get it clear to every member who supports such actions that the party is watching them, and similar fate may befall them.”
He added that the suspension of the governors would not have come to the public as a surprise following their anti-party activities over a period of time.
“They occupy the position they are in today, courtesy of the ticket given to them by this party. To now use that opportunity to work against the interest of the party, you do not expect the party to look the other way,” he said.
He added that the party’s leadership had at a point, issued queries to the two governors and cautioned them against their anti-party activities.
“I have forwarded the report to NEC, recommending their expulsion, the limit of the powers of the party’s NWC is to suspend; it does not have the power to expel,” Issa-Onilu said.
