By Pleasure Onohwakpo
The embattled Chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Onochie who fought doggedly to grab the plum job, has been suspended by the All Progressives Congress, APC, following her alleged anti-party activities in the just-concluded Presidential and Governorship elections.
Onochie who was former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, was appointed few months ago, by the President as Chairman of the NDDC amid vehement protests by concerned Deltans who pointed out that she was not from the oil-producing area of the State.
An impeccable source hinted that, rather than use her influential position as NDDC Chairperson to promote the APC, the platform under which she got the appointment, she was allegedly reported to have openly campaigned for the PDP in her Aniocha North Local Government Area during the last general elections.
Consequently, the APC lost in her unit, ward and Local Government Area in the presidential, NASS, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
In a letter signed by 27 executives of the party in Onicha-Olona, Ward 4 in Aniocha North, the APC approved her indefinite suspension from the party with immediate effect.
The suspension letter titled ‘Loss of Confidence And Suspension of Laureta Onochie As Member of The APC in Onicha Olona Ward 4, Aniocha North Local Government Area, reads 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 Lauretta Onochie，who is one of the leaders of our great party, worked against the success of the APC in Onicha-Olona Ward 4, and beyond.
“Information available to us, shows very clearly that she was openly campaigning for candidates of opposition parties，especially the People’s Democratic Party, in the run-up to the Presidential and National Assembly, as well as the Governorship and State House of Assembly Election.
“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（unit 8，ward 4）in the Presidential，Senatorial，House of Representatives，Governorship and State Assembly Elections.
“We also noted that she has failed to fulfill her financial obligations to the party and has never attended any ward＆LGA meetings or other party engagements.
“In the light of these grievous infractions as stated in Article 21.2（i)（ii)，we have lost confidence in her membership of the party, and hereby suspend her from the party with immediate effect.”
It would be recalled that earlier in the week, another Chieftain of the APC in Ika South LGA, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who was similarly but outrightly expelled from the party by his ward over grievous anti-party activities, had his expulsion approved and ratified by the State Executive Committee, SEC.
Investigation revealed that more heads are likely to roll from the Delta North part of the State where the APC performed very poorly owing to alleged compromise and betrayal by some notable leaders of the party.
