About six serving governors and other prominent chieftains of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday boycotted the inauguration of former governor Timipre Sylva’s campaign team even as others outrightly rejected their membership.
The inauguration of Sylva’s campaign council which ought to have been inaugurated since last week had been threatened by several crisis from the aggrieved members of the party in and outside the state.
Speaking with newsmen after the inauguration in his house, deputy national publicity Secretary of APC and one of the selected members of the committee, To I Frank said could not be part of the campaign team because he did not believe in what was happening.
Frank said: “I was earlier briefed about the Bayelsa campaign council that was inaugurated anyway by a text message that got into my phone but practically I refused to attend that program because I felt I don’t hide my feelings anytime any day, I am an aggrieved member of the APC in Bayelsa state. As much as I remain an aggrieved I will continue to stand my position, I will continue to stand on what I believe, I do not believe in what is happening as at today that was why purposely I refused to attend that function.
When asked whether he was rejecting his membership, Chief Frank said: “Totally I am rejecting it in totality without fear or favour and I stand my ground, there is no way I could be part of it. How can I be part of it at this time of my life and with the level I have gone to in politics, that since after the primary election in Bayelsa till date as I speak the candidate has not been able to call me, has not been able to talk to me, so how do you expect me to be part of his campaign team, I am not ready for that, I am ready to face my party.”
Another member of the committee who pleaded not to be named told our reporter in confidence that he accepted his membership of the campaign team because he did not want to disobey the party, saying “the candidate is not the type to work with.”
Speaking during the inauguration of the committee, national chairman of the party, Chief Oyegun said his expectation was that all 22 APC governors were going to storm Bayelsa state, “But what is important is that seven governors have volunteer to give up their time and energy to serve as members of the campaign council.”
Oyegun expressed confidence that his party will win the election.
Also speaking, Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who is the deputy chairman of the team, told newsmen that signal from Bayelsa were clear that APC will take over the state.
He said: “We shall do everything humanly possible within the confines of the law to bring into government house of Bayelsa state, Timipreye Silva come december 5, 2015.”
