Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has said he joined the December 5 governorship race to rescue the state from its “current” political confusion and economic hopelessness.
In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) state leader urged his supporters to remain focused to enable the party win the governorship election.
Sylva was reacting to the postponement of APC’s governorship primary from September 19 to September 22.
He said: “I appeal to all our supporters, delegates and the APC family in Bayelsa State to stay focused, positive and determined as we wait for …September 22, fixed by the national headquarters of our great party for the primary.
“My participation in the governorship race is borne out of a firm decision to steer our state away from the current course of political confusion and economic hopelessness, and return it to the path of freedom, progress and hope, the foundation upon which our founding fathers had agitated and won the struggle for a distinct political territory within Nigeria.
“With that resolve, having been backed by the popular opinion of our people, I assure you that we are on course. I have no doubt that by next Tuesday, I will emerge the candidate of our great party, APC, for the December 5 governorship election.
“The primary is just a process to our ultimate goal of retrieving our collective political destiny from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) grabbers, who have arrested the development of the state since 2012…”
Sylva also urged APC members to remain calm.
He said: “We should de-emphasise the small differences that necessarily accompany a primary election, like this, and focus on the big picture, the collective responsibility of rescuing our state from the stranglehold of a few intolerant despots masquerading as politicians in the PDP. We will win.
“Bayelsa must be free. Bayelsa must progress. Bayelsa must change with the wind of change blowing across the land.”