Timipre Sylva Faces Governor Dickson For Bayelsa Governorship Poll In December

Former governor of Bay­elsa State, Timipre Sylva, has emerged the standard bearer of the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) for the December 5 governor­ship election in the State.

The election was held at the party secretariat in Yenagoa, the State capital, under tight security pro­vided by a combined team of policemen, operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and soldiers attached to ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, with the Assistant Inspector- General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Benin, Mr Musa Daura, in atten­dance.

This was just as one of the frontline aspirants and for­mer NDDC boss, Mr Nduti­mi Alaibe, explained that he withdrew from the primary poll to sustain the cohesion of APC in the State.

According to the result of the re-scheduled primary election announced by the chairman of the electoral committee, Brig- General Mansur Dan- Ali (retd), Sylva polled 981 votes to emerge the governorship candidate, with his closest rival, Mr Godknows Pow­ell, polling 39 votes.

The fresh primary elec­tion ordered by the national secretariat of the party after the September 22 exercise in which Sylva was declared winner with 726 votes, was not without drama, as Mr Ndutimi Alaibe, one of the aspirants pulled out of the race.

Also, another governor­ship aspirant, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, stormed the venue of the primary election and complained that he was not aware that the primary elec­tion had commenced.

But Dan- Ali stated that all the aspirants were con­tacted, pointing to the other aspirants already seated.

Other aspirants who took part in the fresh primary election were Mr Preye Aga­naba, Mr Warman Ogoriba, Dr Augustine Ogionwon- Febo, Prince Ebitimi Amg­bare, Mr Francis Ebitei, Prof Tarilah Tebepah, Amb Felix Oboro, Amb Emman­uel Otiotio, Mrs Charity Ve­dalago, Senator Clever Iki­skpo, Pastor Tonye Aprela and Mr George Ombeh.

Amgbare, who spoke on behalf of the aspirants, commended the party for conducting a credible, free and fair election, which pro­duced Sylva as the party’s governorship candidate.