Some members of the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress, APC, have criticized the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, for appointing himself director general of the campaign council ahead of the gubernatorial election on November 11.
The party’s stakeholders and chieftains, operating under the aegis of the Bayelsa APC Integrity Group, have responded positively to the formation and inauguration of the campaign council, claiming that the event proves the group’s earlier claims that party Sylva was conducting a one-man show within the party were correct.
On Thursday, the group’s coordinator, Chief Ebipadeowei Oyinkuro, issued a statement to the media detailing the group’s reaction.

The organization lamented that with only weeks left till the upcoming election, APC had lost all of the goodwill it formerly enjoyed in Bayelsa State, despite having been in the hearts and mouths of the people there.
“The party appears to be going into battle with its flanks wide open, and it is deep in tatters and showing signs that it requires oxygen,” the statement stated.
Some of the most powerful and respected party members in the state, the “first and best 11,” have abandoned Chief Sylva.
Many more party faithful who never intended to be dissidents are now publicly aligning themselves with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nominee, Sen. Douye Diri.
The arrogance of Chief Sylva and his acting as though the APC in the state is his personal estate has enraged them.
To them, his desire to become governor sounds like an inalienable right. The fact that Chief Sylva is running for governor and is also the chairman of his own campaign says it all.
The state party chairman is his cousin Chief Dennis Otiotio, and his vice presidential nominee, Joshua Macaiver, is also a co-chairman. The rest of the campaign council consists largely of those in Sylva’s inner circle.
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