- From Godwin Chukwuedozie, Yenagoa
All Progressives Congress (APC), stalwart in Bayelsa State and South South Coordinator of The Asiwaju Group (TAG), Chief Reuben Wilson has pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on political appointees and party stalwarts from Bayelsa to support the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva ahead of the November 11 governership election.
Pastor Reuben Wilson who doubles as the founder of the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, PRIGLA said the plea became necessary because most political appointees and party stalwarts are neither loyal to the party”s interest not showing commitment to the success of the APC in the forthcoming governorship election.
According to an open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and made available to TopNewsng by Chief Reuben Wilson and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, noted that at the moment the dedication and commitment of political appointees and some other party stalwarts from the state to the election is questionable.
He emphasized that the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri is not in cordial working relationship with party faithfuls in the state, adding that he is more aligned politically to friends and associates that have dumped the APC and decamped to the People’s Democratic party in the state.
He maintained that the APC Governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva’s chances of victory are high owing to the popularity of his campaign manifesto and track record of better performance, pointing out however that recent nonchalant attitude of political appointees and stalwarts to the APC portend grave negative signals to the party’s anticipated victory if not properly addressed.
The Southern Ijaw LGA Coordinator of the APC Bayelsa State 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign Council pleaded with President Tinubu to intervene and prevail on the National Working Committee of the APC to mobilize all political appointees and party stalwarts from the state to work in unity with undiluted commitment for the success of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
The letter reads in part: “Your Excellency,Sir) I used my personal funds to sponsor the campaign activities of The Asiwaju Group (TAG) and the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA) in the South-South Zone for your presidential election and our efforts greatly reflected in the votes you eventually got from the South-South States that helped you fulfill the constitutional requirements for you to be elected President.
“I promise that I will even do better in 2027, if you decide to contest for a second term in office .However, I’m deeply worried that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might lose the forthcoming Bayelsa State gubernatorial election scheduled for 11th of November,2023, if you don’t quickly intervene and prevail on the National secretariat of the party to do the needful by mobilizing all party stalwarts from Bayelsa State , especially appointees of your government, to be loyal to the party’s interest and work committedly for the success of the party in the election.
“At the moment such dedication and commitment isn’t seen from some of your appointees and some other party stalwarts from the state. Therefore, I wish to most humbly request that you prevail on such persons, especially, Sen.(Dr) Heineken Lokpobiri, Hon.Minister of State (Petroleum ) to be more committed to the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.He is at the moment not showing enough commitment and support for the party in the state.
“He is also not relating properly with the party faithfuls in the state. His activities are mostly centered around his friends and associates that have dumped the party and decamped to the People’s Democratic Party in the state.
“The chances of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, His Excellency , Chief Timipre M.Sylva to win are very high based on the popularity of his campaign manifesto and his track record of better performance, compared to the incumbent Governor.I’m very sure about our victory but recent developments portend grave negative signals against our anticipated victory, if not quickly addressed , hence, this open letter to your Excellency,Sir.
“Furthermore, most of your loyal supporters in the South -South Zone, who faithfully and tirelessly worked for your electoral victory aren’t happy with some of your appointments because some of your appointees from the South -South Zone didn’t work for you in the last presidential election but got appointed and are enjoying your government at the expense of your very dedicated, loyal and committed supporters.
“I’m therefore, pleading with you to consider such dedicated supporters for appointment into various critical offices in your government, as it’s only such people that can truly fight for the party and your interest at all times.
“I would like to also use this medium to commend you for the appointment of Dr.Betta Edu as Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and Dr.Samuel Ogbuku as the MD/CEO, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) .
“These are illustrious party stalwarts from the South -South Zone that assiduously worked for your electoral victory .They are true party loyaliists who place the interest of the party above their personal interests .They are working cordially with other party faithfuls for the interest and betterment of our great party. It’s such people that should be considered for appointments in the future.
“Finally, I would like to inform you that our great party has made serious political progress in the South -South Zone. It’s therefore imperative for your Excellency and our party to take advantage of this progress and entrench the party in the Zone ,to ensure greater success for the party in future elections, starting from the forthcoming Bayelsa State gubernatorial election.
“Your Excellency and the party should treat as a matter of great importance and urgency, the need to take advantage of the popularity of our gubernatorial candidate, and win the forthcoming election in Bayelsa State, which will invariably lay the right foundation for future electoral victories for the party in the South -South States.
“It’s therefore, my patriotic plea that you intervene and prevail on the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress to mobilize all the party leaders and stalwarts from the state, to work unitedly with undiluted commitment for the success of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, as we have very bright chances to win,” it concluded.
