Bayelsa: APC divided ahead of senatorial bye-elections?

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for the Bayelsa Central and West senatorial seats’ bye-elections, there are growing concerns in the party as stakeholders lobby to produce the candidates, reports ‘DARE ODUFOWOKAN, Assistant Editor

Ahead of the forthcoming by-elections for the senatorial seats of Bayelsa Central and West Senatorial districts, concerned stakeholders are seeking the urgent resolution of some issues within the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the party is to make any serious impact during the said elections. According to reliable party sources, the calls followed growing concerns over the current tension gripping the party in the state as aspirants and party leaders continue in deft moves aimed at producing the party’s candidates for the two plum positions.

The Nation gathered that unless some issues that have divided the party into factions since the 2019 gubernatorial primary elections that produced sacked governor-elect, David Lyon, are resolved and laid to rest, whoever emerges as the candidates of the party for the two senatorial seats may have some chieftains and members of the APC to contend with in court and at the polling booths on election day. Contrary to assurances by some party leaders that all is well with the state chapter of the ruling party, The Nation gathered that chieftains of the APC in Bayelsa State are still at loggerheads.

“There is no peace yet in Bayelsa APC. What we have here can best be described as the peace of the graveyard. People are keeping mute for fear of being suspended, yet they are unhappy with the way things are being handled. Happening at a time we are supposed to be preparing for two very important elections, it is not good for a party that intend to return to winning ways after we were robbed of the governorship we won so convincingly. And it is this type of internal schism that cost us the governorship. Many issues need to be revisited and resolved if our eventual candidates are to enjoy the support of everybody in the party,” a serving legislator told The Nation on Thursday.

Our correspondent gathered that among the issues currently generating rumpus within the party are alleged plans by some party leaders to impose candidates on the party ahead of the bye-elections as well as last month’s suspension of about a dozen prominent chieftains of the party by its state leadership. “As we approach the elections, it is important that the national leadership of the party move in swiftly and allays members’ fear about the process that will produce the candidates. Not a few are worried over that. It is also important that the ‘hanging’ issue of suspension be addressed too,” our source added.

‘Hanging’ suspension?

Last March, the Bayelsa State chapter of the APC announced that it suspended Heineken Lokpobiri, a two-time senator and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly. He was also a frontline gubernatorial aspirant in the run-up to the last governorship election in the state. He it was, who instituted a case against Lyon and the APC alleging that he won the September 4 primary election of the party. But the suit was dismissed over lack of compliance with the statutory 14-day period for filing such cases. His suspension, allegedly for anti-party activities, was announced by the state executive committee in a statement issued by Doifie-Ola Buokoribo, the state Publicity Secretary.

Lokpobiri was suspended alongside 12 other members of the party including Preye Aganaba, Orubebe Ogeibiri, C.T. Olorogun, Warman Ogoriba, Puis Otia and Osom E. Blankson. Other suspended members include Samuel Aredeh, Ebierein Fala Itubo, Peres Peretu, Sunday Frank Okputu, Azikwe Amasingha and Fortune Panebi. “The action followed a report of the fact finding and disciplinary committee inaugurated on 31st of July, 2019 and in accordance with article 21 (B) and (D) of the APC Constitution 2014 (as amended). It objectively looked into the several allegations of anti-party activities leveled against them,” the party said.

Amidst mixed reactions that trailed the announcement, the leadership of the APC in the state insisted that the action was “to set a clear signal to deviants masquerading in the party especially those working against its collective interest and aspirations”. Expectedly, the affected party chieftains kicked and are still kicking. A good number of them are optimistic that the national leadership of the APC, given its readiness to reconcile all warring parties, will overrule the announcement in no time. But while Bayelsa APC insists the suspensions stand, the national leadership of the APC is yet to affirm or overrule the suspension. Thus, the issue has been hanging in the air ever since, unresolved.

Already, there are talks within and outside the party that the suspension was designed to stop Lokpobiri from seeking the Bayelsa West senatorial ticket for the party. Speaking on the development, Ogoriba said the suspension is nothing more than a ‘kangaroo’ arrangement. “It (the suspension) still does not make any sense to me. As far as I am concerned, it is a kangaroo suspension. It is not in the interest of anybody,’ he said. Also, a chieftain of the party, Christopher Abarowei, had described the suspension as rubbish, warning that if the issues were not resolved, the party would sink deeper in crisis. He said the whole matter was borne out of the suspicion that some people were rooting for Lokpobiri to vie for another position on the platform of the party.

“The suspension does not align with the expectations and aspirations of the people of Bayelsa who see the APC as a party to win the state any day. Bayelsa voted overwhelmingly for APC during the last governorship election, with over 300,000 votes. Bayelsans are expecting a vibrant opposition that will contend with the PDP. We need to be united. The timing is very wrong. Whether they complied with Article 21 of the party constitution is not in contention, but I know they never complied. If they complied, they would have set up a committee to invite the suspended persons to appear before it. For me, they should just settle amicably and let us move on,” he warned.

But Buokoribo, the spokesperson of the party, faulted those opposing the suspension. He insisted the interest of the party should be bigger than any other consideration. According to him, those suspended were investigated and found culpable. “The action was to set clear signals to deviants masquerading in the party especially those working against its collective interest and aspirations.  They were accused of actions that ran contrary to the provisions of APC Constitution, morality and good conscience which brought about great electoral misfortune,” the APC spokesperson explained.

Commenting on the developments within the party, a former member of the Board of Trustee (BoT) expressed dismay at the silence of the NWC on the matter. He lamented that what is actually an issue that should have been swiftly resolved by a decision of the national leadership of the party has been left to linger. “I am disturbed, not by the suspension, its correctness or otherwise, but by the silence of our leaders at the national level, especially the NWC. It is not for us to say who is right or wrong. It is actually for us all to listen to the party’s decision on any matter. But on this matter, the national leadership has refused to speak clearly and allay our confusion,” he said.

Party’s senatorial tickets

Another issue causing confusion within the APC in Bayelsa is the process that will lead to the emergence of the two senatorial candidates for the bye-elections scheduled to hold soon. According to reliable party sources, divided by rumours and suspicions, APC leaders in the state are already singing discordant tunes on the bye-elections. To start with, while some chieftains are of the opinion that the party’s candidates in the last election should be allowed to run in the bye-election, others see nothing wrong in choosing fresh candidates through primary elections as stipulated by the constitution of the party.

A chieftain of APC in the state, Perekeme Kpodoh, shockingly predicted that ex-Governor Seriake Dickson would win the forthcoming Bayelsa West Senatorial District by-election in the state if he runs under the PDP due to his achievements in the district when he was governor. Kpodoh, a founding member of the APC in the state, said no politician of APC in the district could stand the popularity of Dickson, coupled with the internal wrangling in the party’s leadership in the district. Writing off his party, the APC, in the contest, he added that the senatorial district would accordingly reward him with the Senate seat.

But Abarowei, who has declared interest in the seat, criticized Kpodoh’s position, saying even if PDP fielded Dickson as its candidate, the APC will defeat him. He urged the people of the area to disregard any rumour that APC will not field a candidate for the election. Similarly, the leaders of APC in the state also denounced Kpodoh’s position. The Secretary of APC in Bayelsa State, Alabo Martins, while speaking on the matter, warned voters in the state to be wary of antics by the PDP and its collaborators to deceive them ahead of the senatorial bye-elections. He said no amount of sponsored attacks and lies would affect the chances of the party in the election.

The candidates of the APC in the two senatorial districts during the 2019 general election were Captain Matthew Karimo for Bayelsa West Senatorial District and Chief Festus Daumiebi for Bayelsa Central Senatorial District. While Abarowei and a couple of other contenders are already jostling for the APC ticket in the West Senatorial District ahead of the bye-election, a strong move is allegedly being made to draft David Lyon into the race in the central senatorial district. Of course, supporters of both Karimo and Daumiebi are said to be disappointed by what they alleged are attempts to deny the duo the chance to run again.

Some supporters have already started clamouring for Lyon to fill the vacant seat in his senatorial district. Proponents of this idea believe he is still a huge political asset to the APC in the state and should be allowed to use the senatorial seat to further prepare himself for another shot at the governorship seat on the platform of the party. His candidacy, according to talks within and outside the party, may be enjoying the backing of a good number of prominent party leaders in the state. Posters and other campaign materials of his are already visible in the area as well as on the social media.

Across the senatorial district, supporters of the ousted governor-elect are seriously campaigning for him to step into the seat vacated by Governor Douye Diri in the Senate. “Lyon helped the APC to defeat the PDP which has been ruling the state since 1999, if not for the Supreme Court that quashed his inauguration. It is going to be easy for the APC to win the seat if we field Lyon. He is the best candidate we have now and all hands must be on deck to ensure that APC wins Bayelsa Central in the bye-election,” a party leader said.

Meanwhile, there are claims that Ambassador Igali, a former diplomat and Federal Permanent Secretary, who was a governorship aspirant during the last year governorship election in Bayelsa State on the platform of PDP, may also be planning to run for the seat on the platform of the APC. Igali, who belongs to the camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa State PDP, according to feelers, may have the assurance of some people at the top echelon of the APC, to join the party and pick the ticket. Though he is yet to publicly declare his aspiration or membership of the APC, his candidature is already being promoted across the senatorial district.