Bayelsa: APC will defeat PDP, Dickson again, Gombe governor vows

Gombe State governor, Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya has said former governor of Bayelsa State and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Bayelsa West in the forthcoming senatorial by-election, Seriake Dickson and his counterpart in Bayelsa Central would be defeated by the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Inuwa Yahaya who recalled that the candidate of the PDP in the last November governorship election, Diri Douye was a product of the Supreme Court, submitted that both senatorial seats would be won by the APC.

Tribune Online reports that the APC candidate, David Lyon won the governorship election in the South-South state until it was reversed by the apex court.

A five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Odili nullified the election of Mr Lyon on the grounds that his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification for the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The Gombe State governor who is the chairman of an 11- member reconciliation and Election Committee for Bayelsa Central and West senatorial districts, respectively said the APC would work as a family to win the election.

He said: “I agree it is a very big task, but for me as a governor and as a loyal party member, I have the belief that nothing is impossible as far as election is concerned. As long as we are able to work together as a family and work towards the success of the party. For I think is a possibility and I have the conviction that we shall deliver APC in both the senatorial election coming up in Bayelsa state.

“Dickson is no threat, if not for some technical issues, APC would have been in government in Bayelsa State, not even when he was sitting as the governor.

“At this moment that we have galvanised our party, that we have reunited, that we have reconciled, we are just going to polish all the arrangement that our people have on the ground down the ladder, so that we work together assiduously to assure the success of the party. I guarantee you, we are going to win those two senatorial seats.”

Appraising his party chances in Saturday governorship election in Ondo State, the Gombe State governor expressed confidence that his counterpart in the state, Rotimi Akeredolu would secure a fresh mandate based on his performance in the last four years.

He noted that unlike the party’s experience in Edo where it went into an election with a divided house, the party has achieved substantially genuine reconciliation in Ondo State.

“Those differences that we had before are not there, that is why this Committee that is headed by Mai Mala Buni is making effort to reconcile party members. And I know with what we did and what we are doing, we will overcome and we will see to the success of APC in the coming election.

“As a result of the reconciliation, all those that contested the primary with the incumbent governor, Akeredolu reconciled and came into line and work with him for the campaign. The party headquarters and the state party executive, contestants and all party followers have joined hand together with the government, it is naturally working to our advantage, I think the Ondo story will be different from that of Edo.”