Former media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, has been expelled from the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to The Whistler.
APC executives in her Onicha-Olona Ward 4 of Delta State accused Onochie, who is the chairman of the governing body of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), of engaging in anti-party actions.
The ward executives stated in a letter to the APC state chairman suspending Onochie that they had conducted a thorough investigation into her and discovered she had participated in actions that were harmful to the party’s interests throughout the campaign and election season of 2023.
27 members of the ward committee in Aniocha North Local Government Area signed the letter of suspension for Onochie, including the chairman, Ogbolu Peter Nduka, vice chairman, Osemeke Mokwunye, and ward secretary, Justina Amagor Akaeze.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in Delta, which won the state’s governorship election on March 18, was accused by the ward executives of employing Onochie in a flimsy accusation. In the February 25 presidential election, Okowa served as Atiku Abubakar’s running partner.
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They said the NDDC chairman’s actions were an obvious breach of the party’s constitution, which forbids anti-party activity, leading to her suspension “with immediate effect.”
The letter dated March 20 stated, “We have painstakingly reviewed the conduct of the recently concluded general elections at all levels and have noted, with dismay, that Lauretta 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.”
“The information at our disposal very clearly demonstrates that she was openly campaigning for candidates of opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party, in the lead-up to the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, as well as the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections. Also, the PDP in the state employed all of her followers and supporters.
“The party’s defeat in the presidential, senatorial, house of representatives, governorship, and state assembly elections in her polling place (Unit 8, Ward 4) serves as evidence of this.
We further see that she has neglected to pay her party dues and has never participated in any events, including LGA and ward meetings.
“We have lost faith in her membership in the party and thus suspend her from the party with immediate effect in view of the grave breaches identified in her as indicated in Article 21,2(I)(II).”
The current Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori, defeated Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who ran for governor of Delta on the APC platform, by a significant majority.
Oborevwori received 360, 234 votes in total, defeating Omo-240, Agege’s 229 votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“(THE WHISTLER)”
