Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Yekini Nabena, has said about 90 per cent of APC members and stakeholders in Bayelsa State have resolved to remain in the party despite the resignation of former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Nabena, a Bayelsa-born APC chieftain, said the party remained strong, united and capable of winning elections at all levels in the state, insisting that Sylva’s exit would not undermine its political structure.
Sylva, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, had on Monday resigned from the APC, alleging that the ruling party had departed from the ideals upon which it was founded.

Reacting to the development in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Nabena said the former governor’s decision was respected, but did not reflect the position of the majority of APC members in Bayelsa.
He said the party’s structure and stakeholders had resolved to remain in the APC, work for its success and deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“While we wish you well in your political journey outside the APC, majority of us in Bayelsa APC family (90 per cent) feel contrary to your decision and we make bold to say we will remain in APC where we have invested, sacrificed and built solid political structure,” Nabena said.

He added that the members would work to deliver all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections, from Tinubu’s re-election bid to candidates contesting other elective positions in the state.
Nabena described Sylva’s departure as “painful but principled”, acknowledging the former governor’s contributions to the building of the APC and his years of leadership.

He said he respected Sylva’s courage to leave the party after expressing his disagreement with the direction of its leadership.
However, Nabena maintained that the APC in Bayelsa had grown into a formidable political institution that could no longer be defined by the fortunes of a single individual.

“We cannot abandon our people in the APC and jump the ship. We will not abandon the ship for nowhere because the problem facing the country is not about the political parties but leadership problems,” he said.
The former APC spokesman argued that political fortunes were not permanently tied to individuals, noting that politicians could move between parties while political structures and loyal supporters remained.
“We believe that politicians are not manufactured anywhere but recycled, hence we will make sure that we stay back and deliver all our candidates in Bayelsa State,” he added.

Nabena said the Bayelsa APC family would concentrate on strengthening its structure and mobilising voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
He expressed confidence that the party would retain its relevance in the state and deliver Tinubu despite Sylva’s resignation.
He also thanked Sylva for his contributions to the APC over the years, saying his role in the party’s development could not be erased by his decision to leave.

Nabena wished the former governor well in his political journey outside the APC, stressing that, beyond partisan politics, Sylva remained “an undeniable leader” to many people in Bayelsa State.