By Seyi Babalola
Indications emerged on Wednesday of a fresh uproar in the Bayelsa State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) following the reconciliation of Governor Douye Diri with his arch-enemy and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike by the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
A political organisation in the APC under the aegis of “Concerned APC Stakeholders”, said Lokpobiri has settled the rift between Diri and Wike.
The two political heavyweights fell apart after the last presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.
Diri was reported to have incurred the wrath of Wike when he ditched him for Atiku Abubakar in the presidential primaries.
Wike was said to be annoyed after releasing heavy monies to Bayelsa State delegates through Diri, the governor swayed and persuaded the delegates to vote Atiku Abubakar.
The CAPCS in a statement by its coordinators, Nimi Benigha-Amange and Kopiamu Arikibai, to shed light on the reconciliation, said Wike, who is still unpleasant with Diri had resolved to back the candidate of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, before he was persuaded by Lokpobiri to forgive and throw his weight behind the incumbent Governor.
The APC stakeholders said Lokpobiri, leveraging on his closeness to Wike, had prevailed on the former Governor of Rivers State to forgive Diri over his refusal to support him during the intra-party election of PDP, which produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential candidate of the main opposition party ahead of the 2023 election.
According to them, Lokpobiri’s intervention and reconciliation of the politicians were part of his strategies to get support for the re-election of the governor in the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The CAPCS said the action was meant to ensure that the APC’s candidate in the election didn’t emerge victorious in the poll.
The statement by APC stakeholders reads, “In furtherance of his intention to frustrate the election of Timpreye Sylva, Senator Lokpobiri has brought former Governor Wike and Douye Diri together in reconciliation. Although Wike does not have any political influence in Bayelsa state, other than his relationship with Lokpobiri, he can provide funds for any side he favours to win the election.
“Former Governor Wike has been unpleasant with Douye Diri before now. But Senator Lokpobiri has succeeded in reconciling them to enable him to foster and achieve his interest of ensuring Timpreye Sylva fails in the election.
“The intensity of sabotage within APC is very pronounced. Prominent APC leaders, who claimed to be aggrieved in one way or the other are holding nocturnal meetings with Douye Diri and PDP leadership to sabotage their party in the election.
“People like Senator Lokpobiri, David Lyon and some serving and formers members of the State and National Assemblies, especially those from Timipre Sylva locality are said to just be playing along with APC, they are all known to be working with PDP to deliver Douye Diri on November 11.”
“These prominent politicians do not hide their hatred for Timipre Sylva and they openly say it everywhere that Timipre Sylva cannot fly and that he is not going to anywhere. They want to finish APC from within in the election. Most of them have been hugely compromised.
“But no matter how they pretend, the outcome of the election in their areas will show and demonstrate their genuine commitment to the party. The outcome of the election in their areas will show their political value. It will show what political value do you have and people will judge you mainly by your results. A serving minister, who cannot deliver his unit, ward and local government has shown his political value and worth.”
Meanwhile, the CAPCS has called on the National Working Committee of the APC to sanction erring members and leaders of the party in the state.
“We seize this opportunity to call on our indefatigable National Chairman, His Excellency, Abdullahi Ganduje and members of the NWC of our esteemed party to wield the big stick against the saboteurs in our party in order to ensure victory for our candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, come November 11”, the organization emphasized.
