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Sylva In Trouble As APC Leaders Want Him Disqualified Over Corruption

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Timipre Sylva
Timipre Sylva

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday summoned to a meeting in Abuja all its governorship aspirants in Bayelsa state ahead the the primary election, even as the leadership of the party is plotting to ensure the emergence of former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Timi Alaibe as candidate.

 

The meeting which was held behind closed door had in attendance the national chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, Deputy national chairman (South) Olusegun Oni, national organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso among other national executives of the party.

 

Sources closed to the meeting told newsmen at the party house that the party leaders would preferred former NDDC boss, who they believed have ‘solid’ structure in Bayelsa since 1999 till date.

 

The leaders according to the sources were said to be looking for a strong candidate who could easily defeat the incumbent governor in the state who have secured backings of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife and some former governors of the state.

 

“Apart from the fact that they feel he can not win the state, the leaders also think the former governor is yet to settle with the anti graft agencies over alleged misapropriation of fund when he was the governor of Bayelsa state.” One of the sources said.

 

It was gathered further that the meeting was called following complains by some of the aspirants that one of them, who is a former governor in the state had assembled all the delegates in one of the hotels in Omokwu area of Rivers state, out of their reach ahead the primaries.

 

Investigations revealed a large number of the 19 aspirants attended Monday meeting at the party office except the former governor, Timipre Sylva.

 

In an interview, one of the aspirants, a pastor, Mrs Tonye Apraela, told newsmen that the party has not endorsed any aspirants contrary to speculations in some quarters.

 

She was reacting to reports that Timipre Sylva had gotten backing of some of the party leaders

 

She said: “Nobody has endorsed anybody. It is his followers that endorsed him. I wanted to make that correction but thank God I have the privilege now, the APC has not endorsed anybody, so, nobody should be afraid in Bayelsa state, we are all going out for the primaries.”

 

A founding member of the party in Bayelsa State, Perekeme Kpodo, had earlier cautioned the party’s national leadership against presenting former governor, Timipre Sylva, as flag-bearer of the party in the December 5 governorship election in the state.

 

Kpodo told newsmen in an interview that the idea of arm-twisting delegates to vote for a particular aspirant had affected the party’s chances of a credible primary election in the state.

 

He said: “If Sylva is given the ticket of the APC, the APC will scatter and it will lose woefully. That is exactly what the opposition is praying for.

 

“But if we bring any other credible candidate in the APC, you will see a serious fight. It is a battle. To win an incumbent, you know what it means and not people like Sylva.”

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