Former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva has described as a deliberate “act of mischief” and “lies” the claims by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that he truncated the electoral process during the disputed governorship primaries of the All Progressive Congress APC in the state.
According to him, though the Edo State Governor was the Chairman of the Election Committee and had left the venue of the primaries, the election which led to his emergence as the flag bearer of the party was free, fair and without violence as claimed by the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
Sylva in a statement issued through his Media Adviser, Doifie Bukoribo, Wednesday night said “It is unfortunate that people like Adams Oshiomhole, the governor of Edo State and former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, who pretend to be incorruptible, would conduct himself in the manner in which he did in relation to the Bayelsa State governorship primary. It was clear that Oshiomhole never wanted to conduct the primary as scheduled.
“First, on his request, the primary was shifted from its earlier date of Saturday, September 19 to the Tuesday, September 22 date. The grouse of the delegates was that the primaries had been shifted once on Oshiomhole’s request. That shift caused enough hardship already. The ‘comrade’ was again shifting the goal post, without giving consideration to these hapless delegates. It was that frustration that we were managing. It is so sad that the governor did not appreciate our effort.”
“Second, as chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Oshiomhole knew full well that accreditation of delegates was to begin at 8am on Tuesday, September 22, but he came to the venue of the programme well past 12 noon. After he arrived at that late hour, he proceeded with a meeting with the committee members and another meeting with the aspirants. He clearly had preconceived plans about the Bayelsa APC governorship primary.
“Third, Oshiomhole cannot really say anything about the primary election because he had left the venue at the time voting commenced. Oshiomhole set the process in motion for voting to commence before he excused himself on the grounds that he was going to eat, and he mandated other members of the committee to carry on without him.
“The world needs to know that the Bayelsa State Electoral Committee is made up of seven members, and of the seven only Oshiomhole left. The other six remained, conducted the primary and declared Sylva winner of the exercise.
“Fourth, it bothers on pettiness for Governor Oshiomhole to quote me as antagonist to new entrants to our party. Every discussion I had with the governor was public.
“The only private conversation I had with him was when he walked up to me and asked me if I truly believed he was working against my interest. To that I answered ‘YES’. As a man of integrity (?) he even offered to step down as chairman. If he had stepped down would that have invalidated the primaries? We should refrain from exaggerating our worth and integrity. Let other good people judge our character.”
“After all, I was the one that received all new entrants. Oshiomole was invited and he did not come.Fifth, Oshiomhole came to Yenagoa with a clear agenda, which was to get me out of the race at all cost. We are aware that he had been lobbying at the centre to get me out of the race in order to pave the way for one of the aspirants. Indeed, one of the aspirants had boasted openly that Oshiomhole would cancel the primary once he arrived, shortly before his arrival.
“Oshiomhole should not tell lies, if I was not there, contrary to his insinuation that I rented thugs to manhandle him, the crowd would have manhandled him. I personally accompanied Oshiomhole to the gate when he was going to eat.
“Seventh, if Oshiomhole has anything personal against me, let him tell the world. We are shocked that the man who claims to be morally upright with a strong ethical orientation would land in Yenagoa for an exercise in which he ought to be an impartial arbiter with a helicopter provided by a friend of one of the aspirants.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nullified Tuesday’s governorship primary election in Bayelsa State in which the former governor, Chief Timipre Silva, claimed victory.
The party’s National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Wednesday said that the party’s primary in Bayelsa State which was stopped halfway into the exercise last Tuesday has been rescheduled to a yet to be approved date.
Oyegun, who spoke in Abuja wednesday said the primary had to be rescheduled as a result of security challenges.
“The primary has been rescheduled. It had to be called off due to security challenges.’’
It was gathered that 14 aspirants at the primary led by Timi Alaibe staged a walk-out during the Tuesday’s primary election alleging irregularities in the process.
The Chairman of the Committee for the primary, Governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole was said to have been escorted out the venue of the event, which held at the Yenagoa stadium, by the JTF security operatives to avoid being lynched.
Also speaking on the outcome of the botched primary election, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, said the primary election did not hold in Bayelsa State.
Frank, alleged that one of the aspirants and former Governor Timipre Sylva had held a member of the committee under duress to declare him the party’s candidate.
Frank also said that both the chairman of the committee, Governor Adam Oshiomole of Edo state and the secretary were not part of the ‘kangaroo’ primary, even as they were not present when the former governor was declared.
The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary said the party will soon come up with a position on the primary and choose a day when an acceptable primary election will be conducted.
“I am speaking as a concern citizen of Bayelsa that this primary is not acceptable anywhere. In a situation where all other aspirants walkout of the venue and a particular aspirant put a member of the primary election committee under duress to declare him a winner, with the chairman of committee, Oshiomo and the secretary not present,” he stated.
