Taiwo Amodu – Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, (NWC) has fixed dates for the conduct of governorship primaries in Bayelsa and Kogi.
In a time and schedule of activities for the conduct of governorship elections for the three states signed by the APC National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Argungu, the primaries for Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states will hold on April 10.
Certain chieftains of the party from South-South State of Bayelsa however stormed the party national secretariat in Abuja, demanding that the party governorship candidate in the 2020 Governorship election, David Lyon be accorded the right of refusal for the APC Governorship ticket.
Saturday Tribune checks revealed that the Supreme Court had sacked the APC candidate and winner of the last governorship election, David Lyon,
over misinformation on the certificate of his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo.
Speaking with journalists, pioneer APC Secretary in Bayelsa State, Honourable Marlin Danier who led certain chieftains of the party to pick Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for Lyon said he remains the most formidable candidate to unseat the PDP in the South-South State.
He said, “Today we are presenting our Principal Chief David Lyon as a household name in this country.
“A young man that gallantly fought a very colossus governor and won him, unfortunately, the arms of the law were twisted against him and he was denied the opportunity of being the governor of Bayelsa state to save that State.
“Today we are back here to get the form for him to go back and contest this election.
“Ordinarily, and under normal circumstances, he was supposed to be given the right of first refusal by the party. Sales of forms are not supposed to be made open, because he’s the only person that can win the election for APC in Bayelsa state, as it stands now.
“I am taking this message to the national executive and whoever is concerned, that if they want APC to produce the next Governor of Bayelsa State, there is no doubt that it must pick Chief David Lyon as a candidate for the party.
“Chief David Lyon has been tested, tried and trusted. As I talk to you, every day, the PDP-led administration is inviting pastors and Imams from different quarters to go and pray that David Lyon will not become the candidate for APC. He is their nightmare. They are comfortable with every other person, but with him, they know they are off. That has been their prayer.
“I can confidently and categorically tell the world that if David Lyon is given the ticket today, to represent the party more than half of the membership of PDP will come back to the APC.
“If anybody thinks I’m lying, let them go and ask PDP members in Bayelsa, not even APC members, the PDP members will tell them that if David Lyon comes back as the candidate of APC, all of them will come and work for him. That is the true position of things in Bayelsa state today.
“I want to urge the national Secretariat to ensure that there is a level playing ground for everybody if there is going to be anybody that will contest. It should be a level playing ground. You can see what is happening in the States, the Congresses, the state Congress in local government, because things are not done right.”
