BAYELSA APC YOUTH GROUP CRIES OUT TO OSHIOMOLE AS PARTY’S CRISIS DEEPENS

...EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER LITIGATION BY AGGRIEVED MEMBERS

....SAYS DISAGREEMENT OVER IMPOSITION OF DAVID LYON TEARING PARTY APART

Posted Tony Okechukwu


The All Progressives Congress Youth Alliance in Bayelsa State has called on the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshimhole to intervene in the crisis rocking the State Chapter of the party less than three months to the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election in the state.

The Coordinator of the APCYA, Dr. Joseph Ikileka Temple, said in a statement on Saturday that the manner of the primaries that threw up Security Surveillance Contractor, Chief David Lyon as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC had polarized the party.

He said that the anger and resentment which followed the declaration of David Lyon as the party’s candidate on September 5, 2019 has pitched some leaders and critical stakeholders against him.

Temple said that the APC Youth Alliance was bothered by the deluge of cases which have been filed by former Minister òf State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, in Abuja, Engineer Preye Aganaba in Yenagoa and other leaders of the party in Port Harcourt and other cities.

The coordinator said that the cases being filed by top leaders of the APC to challenge the outcome of the controversial primaries in Bayelsa State has created sharp divisions within the APC Family in Bayelsa.

He expressed the concern that the APC which should be intensifying activities in the tough challenge to wrest political control from the ruling PDP, is torn apart by divisions caused by the emergence of David Lyon as the party’s candidate.

He called on the Adams Oshiomhole-led-National Working Committee to look into the issues raised by the aggrieved APC leaders who are alleging that Chief Timipre Sylva imposed David Lyon on the party for ulterior motives.

Temple said that the provocative issues involved in the primaries which held at Aridolf Botel for less than thirty minutes should be addressed to prevent the party from repeating the mistake that cost the party the governorship in Zamfara and Rivers States.

He said, “We the concerned members of the APC Youth Forum in Bayelsa State have observed with dismay the deep conflict rocking our party as a result of the party’s primaries which produced Chief David Lyon as the candidate.

“At the last count, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Engineer Preye Aganaba, and APC elders and leaders have filed five cases to seek redress over perceived deprivation by Chief Timipre Sylva and alleged imposition of David Lyon on the party.

“We are worried that the APC is not going into the election as one united body with the deep-rooted bitterness thrown up by the outcome of the primaries.

“We hereby appeal to our Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and other national leaders of the party to address the sensitive issues around the controversial primaries.