The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has declared a complete takeover of Bayelsa State and other Southsouth states by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sylva, who is the Leader of the APC in Bayelsa State, spoke yesterday when the National Vice Chairman (Southsouth) of the party, Chief Victor Giadom, and other top national executives met with APC leadership and stakeholders in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The former governor harped on the need for the party to sustain the current unity it is enjoying in the state.
He said: “We must be a united family to go into this election. That is why the party chairman was very gracious in inviting everybody.
Sylva added: “APC is a large family and it is our ability to accommodate all the shades and tendencies that will determine how far we can go. We have the muscle and capacity to deliver. That is why I term this campaign Operation Take Over.
“APC is the dominant party in the state, and from the horizon, we can see a new day.”
The minister also predicted a total and comprehensive victory for the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Addressing the stakeholders’ forum, Giadom hailed Sylva for his huge contributions towards the success of the party in Bayelsa State.
Welcoming the National Vice Chairman and his team, the Chairman of Bayelsa APC, Chief Dennis Otiotio, pledged that the party would take over not just the state but the entire region.
Also in attendance were past and serving members of the National Assembly, past and serving members of the House of Assembly, former chairmen, elders’ caucus members, principal appointees of the Buhari administration, former deputy spokesperson of the APC and ranking members of the party, among others.
But reacting to the takeover prediction, the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through its State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ebiye Ogoli, said: “That party, APC, is in disarray in Bayelsa State. They have no base, no structure. Their few members kept joining the umbrella party since we came on board in 2020. Before the 2023 elections, we will wind down the APC in the state completely.”
Also, APC youths in the Southeast and the Southsouth have formed a jogging team to drum support for the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The team left Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, and has arrived Ondo State on the way to Lagos.
The youths, under the auspices of Southeast/Southsouth Jogging for Tinubu Campaign Initiative, constituted a team of fitness enthusiasts to embark on the six-day exercise.
A statement yesterday by the Coordinator of the initiative, Mr. Samuel Adaga, said the 25-member team remained in high spirits and was optimistic of completing the expedition safely.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the jogging was kicked off at the Bayelsa State secretariat of APC by the party’s State Chairman, Dr. Dennis Otiotio.
Adaga said the team had enjoyed warm welcome by APC leadership at the corridors of the Yenagoa-Lagos route at Delta, Edo and Ondo states, stressing that the team hoped to terminate the expedition on October 12 in Lagos.
Asiwaju Tinubu is expected to receive the volunteers in Lagos.
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According to the statement, the team drew at least two representatives from each of the 11 states in the Southeast and the Southsouth, and executive of the group.
Adaga said the aim of forming the team was to raise awareness amongst the populace across settlements along the route from Yenagoa to Lagos.
NAN also reports that eight members of the 25-member team are female.
Also, a chieftain of the APC in Ondo State, Prince Biyi Poroye, has urged the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to meet with Christians in the Southwest to assuage their feelings over the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Boroyo said Asiwaju Tinubu should not take the silence of many Christians in the Southwest, especially that of the party’s members, as the acceptance of a Muslim running mate with a Muslim flag bearer.
The APC chieftain, who spoke in Akure, noted that such a meeting with Christian leaders would enable the APC flag bearer to explain why they should trust the same-faith joint ticket.
“In 2019, we lost in the presidential election. The APC will win the 2023 presidential election. But there are silent issues that have to be addressed, especially the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Many APC Christian leaders are just keeping quiet. I have interacted with them. The Christians in the APC need to meet with the presidential candidate. What will be the share of the Christians, if we vote for him?
“The people will vote for Asiwaju Tinubu, if the right thing is done. The Southwest is predominantly Christian. There will be commitment to the party, but some of them have to be convinced why they should trust a man who does not trust in their faith. Those are the issues.”
“If (Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi) Akeredolu were able to understand this argument, once much appealing is done, then the sentiments that Asiwaju Tinubu comes from Yoruba will come to play.
“Many of us get insulted about the action of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. If the party did not work hard, the APC may lose Osun State in the presidential election. Once issues are resolved and other governors cooperate, then victory will be easy,” he said.
Commenting on how many seats the Ondo APC would win in the National Assembly election, Prince Poroye said there were issues within the party that might hinder its victory.
He said APC ought to sort out court cases instituted by some aggrieved aspirants in Ondo North Senatorial District.
“I cannot predict how many seats the APC will win in the Senate and the House of Representatives because there are issues. The party should not ignore litigations in court because you do not know the way it will go. If the candidates do not get judgment, then we have wasted our time.
“In Ondo South, the candidate, Jimoh Ibrahim, is planning alone and the leaders are watching. The candidate said he has his strategy. Even when they go to meetings, they just watch. From the last meeting, he said leaders should leave candidates alone. We are waiting for the strategy,” Poroye added.