Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
Chief Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, on Sunday, expressed appreciation to the party faithful after emerging as the party’s candidate in the just concluded governorship primaries.
Sylva said: “This is not a personal victory; it is a collective one. Our party has once again demonstrated what true democracy is, and how elections should be – peaceful, credible and reflective of the people’s wishes.
“I thank the other aspirants. As a party and as a people we owe them a debt of gratitude. I do not see their move as one of ambition, all I see, all that can be seen is true love and patriotism for our state and party.
“I thank members of our great party who came out en masse to vote. I know the dream that spurred you on – a better Bayelsa, a more accountable state, a truly prosperous state and the original Glory of All Lands.
Sylva who enlisted the support of other aspirants who contested alongside him noted that in togetherness they will achieve the collective aim of returning to winning ways in the state.
“I will work with the other aspirants and party stakeholders and we will create the Bayelsa we all yearn for; we will make every Bayelsa person proud of our state.
“Our brothers and sisters from other political divides must have watched how the APC elections went. We demand the same decorum in the general elections. Bayelsan people deserve the right to freely exercise their franchise, they must have a stake in their own state,” Sylva said.
Sylva was declared winner of the APC primaries by General Ahmed Jibrin (rtd.) Chairman of the APC Election Committee for Bayelsa on Saturday.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa would be facing PDP’s Gov Douye Diri who emerged unopposed from PDP’s primaries in pursuit of a second term.
The APC had in 2019 won Bayelsa governorship seat in a landslide but the Supreme Court in a verdict on the eve of inauguration, annulled the victory over irregularities in the Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC.