By Charles Adingupu
Political horse trading has begun as six Aspirants are currently jostling for the Bayelsa State Governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The party Election Committee Chairman, Major General.A. T. Jibrin, listed the Aspirants to include former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, for Governor Elect, David Lyon, Professor Maureen Etebu, Festus Daumiebi and Joshua MacIver.
Indications are rife that the APC Bayelsa State primary election will be more a horse race between Sylva and Lyon.
Timipre Sylva:
He’s a seasoned Nigerian politician and was born in Brass. Sylva was former Governor of the state from 2008-2012 and also immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. He has all the political structures of Bayelsa State. He was reported to have sponsored the David Lyon in the Bayelsa State Governorship election of 2019. He is also reputed to have overwhelming influence in the Nigeria’s political space. Sylva was former member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP before he decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. It’s obvious that Sylva would wield his federal might to bear on not just the APC primary election but the governorship election as well. He is married and blessed with three children.
David Lyon:
He was the APC Governorship candidate in the 2019 . He emerged winner of the election and was declared Governor Elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. But was sacked a day to his swearing in by the Supreme Court in February 2020 as his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi Eremienyo was reported to have submitted fake certificate to the INEC. He hails from southern Ijaw. As a compensation for the trauma he suffered upon his sack by the court as Governor Elect, some political Actors are currently calling on the party to compensate him with the governorship ticket. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka has said that the party cannot use sympathy to upstage legalities and due process.
Professor Maureen Etebu:
She remains the first female Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the annals of Nigeria’s history. She was former Vice Chancellor of the Maritime University, Okerekoko in Delta State. She may not have the political clout to win the APC primary except otherwise as not much is recorded about her political exploits.
Joshua MacIver:
He once contested the Bayelsa State Governorship election under the platform of the PDP. He later dumped the party to join the ruling APC. He hails from southern Ijaw and a businessman. He is reputed to have some measure of control over the “boys in the creek.”
Ogbomade Isikima:
One of the APC Aspirants. Lacks the political clout to dare into such adventure. But politics can be a funny game sometimes, he may pull a surprise in the wonderland.
Undoubtedly these Aspirants have prepared themselves for the epic battle as we await the result today.
