Bayelsa State Governor,Douye Diri, has said the major challenge of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state ahead of the November eleven governorship election is that it picked an unsellable candidate that has been rejected by his party members and the people.
Governor Diri, spoke during a meeting with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders from Nembe Local Government Area of the state in Government House, Yenagoa.
He said the APC was not a problem to the PDP in the state but rather the candidate of the opposition party, Chief Timipre Sylva, who has been dumped by even his party chieftains due to his poor performance in public office.
Governor Diri noted that the APC candidate failed as governor as well as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources as he made no positive impact while he held sway.
He also stated that the APC joint ticket was equally questionable as Sylva’s running mate had very serious legal issues that border on criminal records.
Governor Diri accused Chief Sylva as mastermind of the violence unleashed on the people of Bassambiri community because the man behind the killings in the area is his ally.
The governor expressed confidence that the PDP will win the election because the people are happy with the developmental projects embarked on by his administration.
He emphasised that the era of obtaining votes through violence was over, rather, he said candidates and their parties should present their achievements and allow the people to decide.
The Bayelsa helmsman particularly noted that Chief Sylva as governor refused to construct any road or bridge in his own Nembe local government area, but his administration constructed the Unity Bridge, which Sylva abandoned, and is now constructing the Nembe-Brass road.
Governor Diri advised the people to unite, shun violence and engage in issue-based campaigns to achieve victory for the PDP at the poll.
Chairman of the PDP Caucus in Nembe, Chief Ipigansi Izagara, in a remark commended the governor for his remarkable achievements and assured that the party members will work hard to win the election in the area.
The party stakeholders passed a vote of confidence on Governor Diri via a motion moved by a former state legislator and commissioner, Dr. Jonathan Obuebite and was seconded by a former lawmaker, Chief Alfred Walson-Belemote.
