‘APC has no preferred candidate for Bayelsa poll’

• Annuls suspension of members in state

AHEAD of the September 19 governorship primaries, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has restated his commitment to a free and fair exercise.

He assured that the national leadership of the party had no preferred candidate, calling on all aspirants and elected delegates to massively partake in the process, accept the outcome and support the candidate that eventually emerges winner.

Odigie-Oyegun stated that the party would not tolerate a situation where aspirants or their supporters were harassed and intimidated in any form.

A statement in Abuja by the party’s Deputy National secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, faulted the rumours making the round that the delegates’ list had been tampered with, stressing that the document remained intact.

He also disclosed of the party’s decision to lift the suspension purportedly placed on some members in the state, saying the move was to facilitate a conducive atmosphere for the primaries.

“Following reports of threat and intimidation of members of our great party in Bayelsa State in view of the party’s governorship primaries scheduled for September 19, 2015 and a meeting by the national leadership of the party with the 19 aspirants under the platform of the party in Abuja today (Monday), after carefully listening to their complaints against the state executive, the National Working Committee has decided to: Affirm the existing delegates’ list to be used for the primaries.

“Annul any suspension whatsoever placed on any member of the party in the state, direct the APC party executive at all levels to maintain strict neutrality before and during the primaries process,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the support base for Governor Seriake Dickson’s re-election bid has grown by one with the Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Foster Ogola, backing him for the December 5 election.

He told reporters in Abuja that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate had nothing to fear as everything points to his victory at the poll.

He said: “Bayelsans are determined to return Seriake Dickson. But some political charlatans are trying to misinform the public. Some expired politicians are the ones trying to mislead and misinform the public. They have no followers. They said in the interviews they granted that Governor Dickson has not commissioned any project since he assumed office. My senatorial district was not on the national grid until Dickson connected us.