- From Godwin Chukwuedozie, Yenagoa
An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and founder of Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, PRIGLA, Chief Reuben Wilson has congratulated the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva on his reinstatement by the Appeal Court to contest the November 11 governeorship election in Bayelsa State.
A statement made available to TopNewsng by the founder of PRIGLA, Chief Reuben Wilson in Yenagoa, said the landmark decision to reverse the earlier disqualification by the Appeal Court should serve as a tonic needed to form a common front to recover Bayelsa State from the misrule of the PDP
It would be recalled that Wilson had earlier written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu calling on him to intervene to ensure victory for the APC in the November 11 governorship election, while also graciously calling on Mr. President as leader of the party to convene a meeting of all gladiators and stakeholders including Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri who according to him has not shown any commitment to Chief Timipre Sylva’s election project.
He noted that Sen. Lokpobiri is not committed to the project of the party ahead of the governorship election instead he is romancing with the opponents while patronizing those who openly fought against the APC in the past election, insisting that this can’t continue unchecked if the APC must win the forthcoming governorship election.
He emphasized that there is a growing suspicion that Sen. Lokpobiri and other party stalwarts are working at cross purpose, against the party’s interest and must not be allowed to happen and urged all to sink their differences and come out openly to queue behind Chief Timipre Sylva.
The statement reads: “The court of appeal sitting in Abuja made a landmark decision when it restored the right of Chief Timipre Sylva to contest the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State, setting aside an earlier court order that sacked him as the candidate of the APC.
“This is a piece of good news for all lovers of good governance. And for us in the APC, it is the tonic that we needed to forge ahead in the battle to recover our state from the hands of the PDP that has since misgoverned our dear Bayelsa State.
“Yesterday, in my open letter to Mr President, I had called for his gracious intervention as leader of our party, to make sure the APC wins next weekend in Bayelsa State. I will re-echo that call by urging him to summon a meeting of all gladiators and stakeholders from Bayelsa State APC, including the minister of state for petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who has not shown any form of commitment to the Sylva election project up till now.
“Instead of being committed to the project, he is seen to be hobnobbing with our opponents while also patronising and supporting those who never supported the APC in the past elections. I insist that the position Senator Lokpobiri is occupying should be taken from him and given to those who have shown capacity and total commitment to the progress of the party in Bayelsa State.
“The general suspicion is that Senator Lokpobiri and many others like him, are working at cross purposes, against the interest of the party. This cannot be allowed to continue unchecked, if the party must win the forthcoming election. There cannot be a better time for all party members to sink their differences and come out in full force to queue behind Sylva.
“With a few more weeks left before the public campaign window closes, I will want our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national executive committee of the party to come to Yenagoa and personally campaign for the APC.
“They should also ensure that Lokpobiri and other top party chieftains mount the rostrum and publicly campaign for Sylva. The current lack-lustre attitude of these party stakeholders is not in the interest of our party.
“While I commend the judiciary for doing the right thing, I also wish to congratulate Sylva as I look forward to victory for our party, come November 11, 2023,” the statement added.
