Again, Sylva declared winner of Bayelsa Governorship Primary election

NEDU MARK, Yenagoa

Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary Governorship Electoral Panel for Bayelsa State, Brigadier Gen. Mansur Dan Ali, has declared Chief Timipre Sylva as winner of the party’s poll with a total of 981 votes secured.

One of the aspirants, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe had earlier in the day, withdrawn from the exercise citing intimidation and harassment of his supporters at the election venue.

Alaibe however, scored no votes, according to Alli while reading out the scoresheet, as he also said Godknows Powell scored 39 votes followed by Warman Ogoriba who pulled 28 votes.

Dan Ali also announced that Tarila Tamipa scored no vote, while Christopher Ena only scored 2 votes, Diekivie Bovie Okiogha 22 and Ebitel Williams 9 votes

Brigadier Gen Dan Ali (rtd) said a total of 1,147 votes were cast, 1,120 votes were valid while a total of 27 votes were voided by the panel.

Declaring Sylva winner, the chairman said: “By the powers confers on me as chairman of this our great party APC, I hereby declare Chief Timipre Maley Sylva as winner of the APC primaries election held, Wednesday, in Yenagoa.”

Speaking shortly after being declared winner, Chief Sylva said the APC has a lot work to do by keeping Governor Seriake Dickson away from government.

“We shall sweep Dickson away from the government House, we shall sweep away hunger, garbage, failed promises and usher in joy and prosperity,” he said.

Bayelsans, Sylva said, are yearning for change, ‘if we work well, victory will be ours and we shall sweep them away come Dec 5 election’.

He also called on Chief Alaibe and other aggrieved aspirants to join hands with him to move the state forward, insisting that politicians in the country have’ a lot to learn from the military class to move the nation forward as it is a retired Army general that conducted a free and fair party primaries for the state.’

He lauded the security agencies for ensuring a violence-free party primary in the state and thanked the delegates for their commitments and sincerity in voting him as their flag bearer.

Earlier, Chief Amgbare Ebitimi, one of the aspirants who spoke on behalf of others said “as aspirants, we have no choice, but to accept the victory of Chief Timipre Sylva as the party’s candidate for Dec ember 5 election.”

It would be recalled that that four governorship aspirants earlier in the day had expressed dissatisfaction with the primaries, noting that they were not duly informed of the change in venue of the election.