The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress on Monday intervened in the crisis rocking the Bayelsa State chapter of the party.

This followed a directive by the National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the APC, Hilliard Eta, nullifying the spate of suspensions as well as ordering a return to status quo ante.

Eta called on all the warring factions to sheathe their swords and allow a committee set up by the zonal organ to examine the remote and immediate causes of the conflict and submit its report before further action.

The national vice chairman said this in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen via electronic mail.

The statement read in part, “The spate of suspensions, counter-suspensions and general disorganisations of the Bayelsa State chapter of our great party – the All Progressives Congress, is disheartening.

“That the state chapter could be on the warpath at a time that it should be cohesively charting ways to successfully prosecute the election petition tribunal case concerning the recently held gubernatorial election, in which Seriake Dickson supposedly won, is even more saddening.

“As the Chairman of the party in the zone, I am particularly miffed by the state of affairs in the Bayelsa APC and I publicly exhort the aggrieved parties to sheath their swords.

“Going by the provisions of Article 21 of the amended constitution of our party, the suspensions are null and void and done in bad faith. In the said article, our constitution lucidly outlines the steps to be diligently followed for a party member or executive to be suspended.”

Eta stated that in the light of the aforementioned provisions, as far as the APC was concerned, the suspensions carried out in Bayelsa were entirely null and void.

He urged those concerned, especially the state chapter of the party, to, in the interest of the party, revert to “the status quo ante.”

According to him, the zonal organ had delegated a committee which he did not name to investigate and make recommendations for appropriate action.

“In the spirit of change, let there be peace,” he said.

It may be recalled that the Bayelsa State chapter of the party last week suspended a former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, and other party chieftains over allegations of anti-party activities.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, on Monday dismissed claims that he paid for his appointment as an attempt to blackmail him.

Lokpobiri accused the Bayelsa State chapter Chairman of the APC, Chief Tiwei Oruminigha, who levelled the allegations against him of fabricating lies and distorting facts.