Supporters Accuse APC Leadership of Abandoning Sylva During Bayelsa Election
Supporters Accuse APC Leadership of Abandoning Sylva During Bayelsa Election
Supporters of Chief Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, and his running mate, Joshua Maciver, gathered on Friday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, expressing their discontent and accusing the party’s national leadership of abandonment during the November 11 poll.
The protesters, who attributed Sylva’s loss to various factors, including lack of support from the national leadership, alleged vote buying, and the cancellation of his 84,806 votes by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanded an investigation into the electoral irregularities.
Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, Dr Otitis Etionumeya expressed disappointment in the party’s national leadership for purportedly neglecting Sylva when he needed their support the most. He raised concerns about the cancellation of results in certain areas where the APC had a clear lead, questioning the fairness of the election.
Etionumeya stated, “If the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress wasn’t sacrificed to please some vested interests, how do we explain the audacious cancellation of results in areas such as Ogbia, Nembe, Brass, and Southern Ijaw LGAs where our great party had a clear lead?”
The protesters criticized Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the head of the National Working Committee, for conceding defeat immediately after the announcement of the incumbent governor, Douye Diri, as the winner. They urged the APC leadership to explore all available options to reclaim what they referred to as their “stolen mandate.”
The delegation also called for strict measures against APC members accused of anti-party activities during the Bayelsa governorship election, emphasizing the need to deter such actions in the future.
In light of the allegations and discontent among APC supporters, the party faces the challenge of addressing internal grievances and restoring confidence in its leadership amid the fallout from the Bayelsa election.
