As the November 11 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State approaches, some stakeholders in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have criticized the party’s governorship standard-bearer, Chief Timipre Sylva, for naming himself the Director General of the Campaign Council. Following the constitution and inauguration of the campaign council, the stakeholders, and chieftains of the party under the auspices of Bayelsa APC Integrity Group, accused Sylva of running a one-man show in the party, which has now been vindicated by his appointment.
The coordinator of the group, Chief Ebipadeowei Oyinkuro, issued a statement on Thursday, which expressed regret that only a few years ago, the APC was the most popular party in Bayelsa State, but now, it has lost its widespread support.
The statement read that the party now appears to be going into the election unprepared and with its flanks wide open, and it is deep in tatters, requiring urgent intervention. Regarded and influential members of the party who could rightly be described as the first and best 11 have all turned their backs against Sylva, while other party stalwarts who never set out from the onset to be dissidents are openly supporting the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Douye Diri.
The stakeholders are angry over the high-handedness of Sylva and the fact that he conducts himself as if the APC in the state is his personal estate. His governorship ambition comes across to them as an entitled birthright. The statement further revealed that Sylva is both a gubernatorial candidate and Chairman of his own campaign, while his cousin, Chief Dennis Otiotio, who is the state Chairman of the Party, is the Alternate-Chairman, and the running mate, Joshua Macaiver, is the co-chairman. The majority of the rest of the campaign council members are also from Sylva’s circle.