Sylva promises to deliver Bayelsa governorship for APC

Litigants seek Lyon’s disqualification, two-million march for PDP’s Diri
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) would overwhelmingly win the November 16,2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Addressing the mammoth supporters at the kick-off of campaign for the party’s gubernatorial candidate, David Lyon, and his running mate, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, at the weekend in Yenagoa, the minister maintained that the duo would usher in the “much-needed progress” in the Ijaw-populated state.

The former governor stated: “Today is just a tip of the iceberg,” adding that APC had won already.

He added: “I want to tell you (that) a new chapter has been opened in the history of Bayelsa State. I want to tell you prosperity is coming and I want you to know that the dark days and locust years are over. Prosperity is coming.”

In his remarks, Lyon faulted Governor Seriake Dickson’s claim that he was not validly elected at the primary, insisting that he remains the authentic candidate of the APC in the state.

However, an aggrieved stakeholder, Peter Ozobo, and the PDP standard-bearer, Diri, alongside his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpor, have instituted suits seeking Lyon’s disqualification as well as that of his running mate from the upcoming poll.

Ozobo, in his suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja with case number, FHC/ABJ/CS/1095/2019, is seeking the duo’s disqualification on the grounds that the primary that produced them allegedly fell short of the expectations of the APC constitution and the Electoral Act 2014 (as amended).

In the other suit initiated by Diri and Ewhrujakpor, the claimants are seeking the leave of the court to disqualify the APC candidates for allegedly being wrongfully nominated by their party.

Besides, the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF) is to stage a two-million-man rally in Yenagoa for the PDP gubernatorial hopeful.

In a statement by Hendricks Opukeme; Kennedy West and Tare Walson, the group said the march would draw participants from professionals, the academia, youths, women, organised labour, civil society, faith and community-based organnisations as well as students and market women and men.