Former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva, has joined the gubernatorial race scheduled to hold on December 5 in the state.
This is a departure from his earlier stance that he will not contest for the number one office in the oil rich state.
had earlier reported that a group, Bayelssa Peoples Consultative Assembly, through its mouthpiece, Alex Ekiotenne, had earlier said that the former governor in a meeting with members of the National Working Committee of the APC, said he will not contest for the position. The statement of the group was issued at a press conference in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Tuesday, June 7.
Sylva, who is the APC leader in the state, while fielding questions from reporters after submitting his nomination forms, alleged that Governor Seriake Dickson had abandoned all the uncompleted projects he started during his tenure as the governor in 2012, Daily Post reports.
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He said: “As at 2012, we were poised to celebrate in 2013 one year of uninterrupted power supply in Yenogoa city. I had installed turbines and there was a turbine that was 93 per cent complete when I was ousted. The outgoing government refused to commission it because they did not want me to take credit for it. There are a lot of projects that I embarked upon which were deliberately abandoned on the altar of politics.”
The former governor decried the high spate of insecurity in the state where kidnappers have had a field day in state. He pointed out that he is also a victim of the kidnappers activities as his late uncle was abducted and killed. He further noted that the state waterway is not safe.
In a related development, a female aspirant, Tonye Apaela, has joined the gubernatorial race on the platform of the APC. She told journalists shortly after submitting her nomination form at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, that there is no anointed candidate of the party.
READ ALSO: Bayelsa Elections: Governor Dickson Berates APC
Apaela added that the party has not endorsed any of the candidates vying for the party’s lone ticket saying all party faithful in the state can contest the primary without any form of fear.
The APC primary has been slated for September 15. The primary is expected to produce a suitable flag bearer ahead of the state governorship poll scheduled to hold in the first week of December.
Meanwhile, a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, had endorsed Sylva as his favourite candidate for the forthcoming election. Tinubu, who is a former governor of Lagos state, said Sylva had proven leadership qualities that can bring about the needed change in the state.
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