Timipreye Sylva
by Nnaji Hari-Marshal, Yenagoa


Desperation appears to be the name of the game in the forthcoming December 5, 2015 Bayelsa State governorship election. Reports filtering in from the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC allege that delegates for the party governorship primary are being subjected to threats, and all manner of bribery.

Some were also said to have gone into hiding to avoid threats from party loyalists close to the former State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The delegates who spoke from their hideouts  allege that the threats  or bribery as the case may be coming from  from the Sylva's camp as some of the State Party Executives are  bent on ensuring that their candidate, Timipre Sylva emerges the APc flag-bearer for the election.

However, a group,  the  Bayelsa Victory Frontier (BVF) in a statement issued by Its spokesman, Ayibanoh Gibson,allege that the threat against the APC delegates is becoming worrisome,"we have it on good authority that the Sylva's block within the APC have resorted to threats and blackmail to cow the delegates.They have been warned of dangerous consequences if they vote for Timi Alaibe."

As a matter of fact, the APC might turn against itself as the members are raising concerns over rumours that the State Executive Committee of the Party have endorsed the candidature of Sylva and Engr. Preye Aganaba.

Sources close to the Party claimed that the endorsement was based on the contributions of the duo of Slyva and Aganaba to the Party from inception,"they felt those that built the APC house must reap from their effort."

According to the source, "Most party faithfuls agree  that the likes of  Aganaba,who rented the first Secretariat of of the party and made other positive contributions should be the Party flag bearer, while  Slyva is equally seen by some as the brain behind the defection of most members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC)."

"The pro-Sylva leaning of the Executive members argue  that it is better for them to work with a governor they are familiar with than work with a complete stranger who has a list of followers to empower."