I wish to humbly prescribe a workable plan for the Bayelsa APC party to come out of the seeming stalemate that is trailing the recent primaries of the party.
The State chapter of the APC had its primaries just over a fortnight ago, where Chief Timipre Sylva was declared winner with Chiefs Joshua Maciver and David Lyon clinching the second and third positions respectively.
But Lyon and Festus Daumiebi rejected the outcome of the primaries and called for its cancellation even as majority of the contestants had adjudged the elections free, fair and credible.
Since after the elections , all concerned had moved to Abuja National Secretariat of APC to proffer a quick solution to the seeming stalemate, likely to divide us.
However, to ensure peace, unity and victory at the November polls , I wish to propose that a strategic plan for victory for the party must be put in place.
The strategic plan is that Chiefs Sylva and Lyon should pair-up as Candidate and Running mate respectively for the November 11 elections to ensure APC’s victory .
This in my unbiased and objective opinion is a win win situation for both of them and for the overall membership of APC family in Bayelsa State.
Sylva has four years to complete his tenure of eight years and that it seems to be his ambition. For Lyon, as he serves as Deputy Governor for four odd years, which period will provide a fertile ground for him to learn the ropes of governance and further help to develop himself to face the world when he takes over at the end Sylva’s tenure. Furthermore, Lyon is currently either 51 or 52 years old. Add 4 years he will be 55years or 56yrs, which in my opinion is about the right age to serve the people as Governor with undisputable experience in governance and world Politics.
The strategic goal of the plan is that our Party APC must WIN the forthcoming guber election in Bayelsa State, and in order to achieve this goal, all hands must be on deck. We cannot go into the November 11th elections with a divided house and expect to win. Most unlikely!!
The pair is a fantastic one.
For instance, Sylva has served the State as a governor for more than four years and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources at the Federal level for four years. In my opinion, these services have given Sylva the requisite experience on how to manage government business in Bayelsa State, aside any other perceived personal negative traits.
Lyon on the other hand is humanistic and owns lovable characteristics and indeed loved by many persons both old and young throughout the State because of his philanthropic disposition.
Adding these impeccable qualities of Lyon to Sylva’s experience in governance, the pair is good to go and bring the much awaited VICTORY for APC in Bayelsa State.
In order to achieve the success required of this plan, it should be implemented through the office of the President -Elect .
The President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has to be persuaded by all means to bring the two (Sylva and Lyon) together and prevail on them to accept the plan because APC wants to win Bayelsa State guber election in 2023.
There will be a written agreement between Sylva and Lyon which has to be signed by both of them that the tenure of Sylva will ensure a smooth process of handing over the baton to Lyon. This agreement MUST be countersigned by top Party officials to make it legal.
It’s sad to observe that since our party lost the 2019 guber elections through the Supreme Court, there has been massive defections to other political parties in droves by our members, either due to lack of formidable leadership in the state or for ‘survival’
In addition to the above, the recent situation arising from the primaries has raised doubts if the APC is still existing in Bayelsa state .
Some aspirants are even of the opinion that the whole Primary Election was marred with irregularities and demand its cancellation.
These issues are causing alot of concerns as to whether the APC is still on ground as it was in 2019.
The answer is in the negative because of the exodus of our members to other parties in search of political relevance or satisfaction. This plan if successfully implemented is likely to reverse the alarming and discouraging trend.
Finally, permit me to use this medium to appeal to the general membership of APC throughout the State, in particular, Chiefs Sylva, Lyon, Maciver and other Aspirants of the primary elections to accept this proposal for the sake of APC winning the November 11th Bayelsa GUBER elections. We cannot afford to be in the opposition in the State for another four years again.Let us be seen and treated by our brothers and sisters in the centre as equal and proud partners, not only to take part in the sharing.
Sen John K Brambaifa
SENIOR APC STAKEHOLDER
SAGBAMA LGA, BAYELSA STATE .
