The Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State chapter, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, declared on Monday that a former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, remains the candidate of the party for the December 5 governorship election.
Oruminighe said he was not aware that the controversial primaries where Sylva emerged the winner had been cancelled by the national leadership of the party.
He spoke after an APC support group under the auspices of Rescue Nigeria Mandate Mission (RENIM) claimed that Sylva won the September 22 primaries.
The President of RENIM, Amb. Sokari Afiesimama, insisted that the election where Sylva reportedly emerged as the winner was free, fair and without violence.
The election was marred by violence resulting in more than 15 aspirants scampering for safety, while members of election committee headed by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, were 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 primaries against the party’s guidelines.
But Orunimighe and Afiesimama who spoke in different media events insisted that the election had been won and lost, adding that the rumour of its cancellation was baseless and unfounded.
Oruminighe said: “As a chairman of Bayelsa APC, I am not aware of any cancellation of the primaries. 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 primaries. 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 election conducted last Tuesday.”
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