By Ebiowei Lawal – Yenagoa
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has adopted direct primary for selecting candidates for the 2019 elections.
The party said the move was aimed at averting post-primary crisis that have been plaguing other political parties across the country.
Former Governor of Bayelsa State and leader of the party in the State, Chief Timipre Sylva, explained that with the direct primary, it would be total victory for the party in the coming Houses of Representatives and Assembly polls due by the first quarter of 2019.
The stakeholders meeting which included the serving Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, former Bayelsa State Acting Governor, Rt. Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu, amongst others, kicked off at the party secretariat around 2pm in Yenagoa
In his opening remark, the State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Amos Jotham described the meeting as a “trouble-shooting phase” and expressed optimism on the leadership style of Chief Sylva, adding that with him, victory was sure for the party.
Senator Lokpobiri accused the state government of allegedly paying only 25 per cent of civil servants’ salaries, and revealed that the Governor of Bayelsa State has allegedly sacked his family members in government employment just to witch-hunt him.
“The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson has turned malicious with the state civil service. My mother has been sacked from work, same for my brother,” he explained.
Chief Sylva, before moving for the adoption of direct primaries that had already been agreed upon by stakeholders that attended the meeting, said “for APC Bayelsa State in the coming polls, our destination is victory”.
In a statement issued by Chief Sylva’s spokesman, Julius Bokoru, after the meeting, Sylva was quoted to have said “I am certain Bayelsa State will tilt decisively to the APC in the coming polls. We shall win the three senatorial seats, the five House of Representatives seats and the entirety of the State Assembly seats.”
Great