Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
Pastor Reuben Wilson, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday said that ongoing reconciliatory efforts will return the party to winning ways ahead of the 2023 polls.
Wilson, who spoke with newsmen in Yenagoa noted that the Supreme Court verdict nullified the victory of the party on the eve of the inauguration of APC candidate Chief David Lyon on Feb 13, 2020, affected the party adversely.
He explained that following the setback, the leadership and followers of the party lost the enthusiasm to push ahead adding that he was inspired to rise above the setback and rediscover the party’s winning strategy.
According to him, the party would leverage the massive goodwill that the APC enjoyed which resulted in a landslide victory in the last general election to woo the electorate to cast their votes to enable the APC to win again.
He said that Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA), an APC support group he initiated was set up to entrench unity among party leadership and followers for the success of the party in the polls.
“There were speculations that this support group was started to promote my political aspirations but I have said emphatically that I have no ambition to go in for the elective office, I did not pick a nomination form for any position.
“My aim for initiating PRIFGLA is out of my love for the party to keep ideals of the party and rejuvenate hope amongst the party followers who felt abandoned following the misfortune we suffered on the verge of forming a government.
“We are glad that there is a lot of progress on the efforts to reunite all levels of leaders in our party who held divergent views and their differences are being resolved and the party is coming together again.
“Once we get this reconciliation effort concluded, we shall bounce back to our winning streak and regain the mandate of Bayelsa people because, in APC, we have the people to drive the holistic development of Bayelsa,” Wilson said.
According to him, the feedback from the mediatory moves within the party was very encouraging as all the major blocs within the party have shown commitment to peace and unity in the Bayelsa APC.
He further said that Bayelsa was in dire need of all-round development which goes beyond infrastructure adding that the current and past administrations have tried but pledged that APC would do better.
He commended Chief Timipre Sylva, leader of the party in Bayelsa and leadership at wards, local governments and State Executive of the party led by Dr Dennis Otiotioa, Chief David Lyon and Heineken Lokpobiri for embracing peace.