The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended President Muhammadu Buhari’s former media aide, Lauretta Onochie, from the party.
Onochie, who is the chairman of the
governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was accused of anti-party activities by APC executives in her Onicha-Olona Ward 4 of Delta State.
In a suspension letter addressed to the state chairman of the APC, the ward executives said they thoroughly investigated Onochie and found that she engaged in activities that were detrimental to the party’s interests during the 2023 campaign and election season.
Onochie’s suspension letter was endorsed by 27 members of the ward committee in Aniocha North Local Government Area, including the chairman, Ogbolu Peter Nduka; vice chairman, Osemeke Mokwunye; and ward secretary, Justina Amagor Akaeze, amongst others.
The ward executives superficially accused Onochie of working for the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta which won the March 18 governorship election in the state. Okowa was the running mate of Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 presidential election.
They said NDDC chairman’s action is a clear violation of the party’s constitution, which frowns at anti-party activities hence her suspension “with immediate effect”.
“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 party in Onicha-Olona Ward 4, and beyond,” read the letter dated March 20.
“Information available to us shows very clearly that she was openly campaigning for the 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 Houses of Assembly Election. It was also observed that all her allies and supporters were working for the PDP in the state.