APC won’t win with Lyon, says PDP chieftain

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

 

A CHIEFTAIN of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Keniebi Okoko, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not make any impact in the November 16 governorship election with David Lyon as its candidate.

Speaking in Yenagoa, Okoko, who lost the primaries, said that the defections in the PDP was a blessing in disguise, adding that it had given the energetic youths in the party the opportunity to deploy their energy for the campaigns.

Okoko, a member of the PDP national and state campaign councils, said the APC candidate could not measure up to the PDP candidate, Senator Douye Diri.

He appealed to the electorate to make the right choice by voting for Diri, saying that making the wrong choice could portend danger for the state.

Okoko said rather than hide behind the Minister of State, Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, the APC candidate should tell Bayelsans his plans and programmes.

He said: “The pockets of defections will not affect the PDP because it gives the younger ones the latitude to display their potential. Inasmuch as we want them to stay, their movement will not determine the outcome of the election.

“Bayelsans are not easily deceived anymore. Comparing Douye Diri and David Lyon is like comparing something white and black, two opposite things. Let us make this clear that someone being a good person per se does not make him a good leader.

“What are the criteria he has for being a leader? Is it that he runs an oil pipeline surveillance contract? Even at that what tactics did he use to secure the pipelines?

“I have always said that if I find someone who’s good in the APC, I will commend the person. As an example, I have always said that people like Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, then the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, are great materials for the country, especially the Minister of Justice.

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“I have never been one who will see something right, even in the APC and not commend it. But David Lyon is a poor choice for the APC. If APC had an Aganaba (Preye) or Lokpobiri (Heineken), it could be a reason to feel jittery, but definitely not a David Lyon. I don’t think the people of Bayelsa will want to go backwards,” Okoko said.

The clergyman, who recently emerged the political leader of the Gbarain-Ekperiama kingdom, noted that he was glad that the PDP reconciliation committees had started making progress with the recent return of some of those who left the party.

Said he: “As a leader, let me also say that this is not about 2023. I am not thinking of 2023 governorship race. If Douye Diri does well, we will back him for the full eight years because I believe in continuity. I am more interested in what he will achieve in eight years.

“All I am interested in is that he uses the platform that the PDP has given him to help the Gbarain people and the people of Bayelsa. And I have said it that you can be a governor without necessarily being on the seat. You are a good governor in your little space if you do the right thing.

“Put side by side each other, the PDP and the APC candidates are not on the same level. I am not insulting anybody here. Being a good person or that you have been good to some persons does not translate into a good leader.

“Governors are members of the National Economic Council. When you get there, you are supposed to contribute. The APC candidate should come out and talk about his economic policies. He should not be sending people to speak for him. Let him give us his blueprint.

“Let him articulate his views about governance and we will listen to him. He cannot hide behind former Governor Timipre Sylva. Sylva is an intellectually sound person, any day, any time. Nobody can take that from Sylva. He’s capable, that’s why he can go to Russia and talk and people will listen to him.