The Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Bayelsa State chapter, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, has said the party in the state stands by the victory of former governor and leader of the party, Chief Timipre Sylva, at the governorship primary.
The primary election has elicited much controversy as it is claimed that Sylva emerged winner through a ‘kangaroo’ arrangement.
The election was said to be marred by violence which resulted in more than 15 aspirants scampering for safety as well as members of the election committee headed by the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, being held hostage in the arena.
Oshiomhole has since claimed that Sylva’s thugs held him hostage in an attempt to force him to conduct the primary in the midst of violence.
The Edo State Governor was said to be rescued by the combined forces of the military and operatives of the Department of State Security on the orders of the Chief of Defence Staff.
But Orunimighe, who insisted that the primary had been won and lost, said the rumour of cancellation of the election was baseless and unfounded.
He said, “As a chairman of Bayelsa APC, I am not aware of any cancellation of the primary. With all due respect to the National Chairman of our party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, he said nobody should make an announcement except they cleared with him.
“I want to believe that people who made statements from the national secretariat did not have clearance with him. As a state chairman, I am aware that the rumour of cancellation came even when we were on the election ground. It was all over the social media. I think it was made by one of their publicists. After that Odigie-Oyegun directed that nobody should make any statement without obtaining clearance from him.
“The national chairman is a man who knows his onions. Having set up an election panel, he knows the next thing is to wait for the outcome or report of the committee set up to administer the primary. Maybe they will set up an appeal committee. We are expecting that by Monday or Tuesday (today). So, I believe the cancellation rumour does not stand.
“For now, election has been held and I think that is how it stands. Chief Timipre Sylva won the primary conducted last Tuesday.”
The chairman said he believed that some aspirants might might be aggrieved, adding that the party was working towards harmonising their grieviances ahead of the December 5 governorship poll.
He exonerated himself of being biased during the primary, stressing that in a contest of that nature, tongues were bound to wag.
He stated, “I do not know who accused us. We are not biased. As a chairman, I believe that I have managed the party to the best of my ability. When it came to the period of voting, I was also a delegate.
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