…As Oshiomhole Mocks Senator Melaye Over Senatorial Ambition
Williams Anuku Abuja
As the All Progressive Congress (APC) continue to savour their victory in the just concluded Bayelsa gubernatorial election, leaders of the party have attributed the emergence of David Lyon as governor elect to the poor leadership style of the outgoing governor, Seriake Dickson.
Lyon who was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by the party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole on Monday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja polled a total of 352,552 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Duoye Diri, who scored 143,172 votes.
Oshiomhole was accompanied on the presentation by the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye Silva.
Silva while making a brief remark to State House correspondents, likened Governor Dickson to a king who had lost favour with his kinsmen owing to poor leadership style.
He said all the APC did to beat the incumbent governor to the game was shopping for the right candidate that would be loved by the people across political divides.
Meanwhile, the APC Chairman while commending Bayelsans for voting their candidate, said the just concluded elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states were clear indications of the growing acceptance of APC in the country, noting that the 16 APC Senators that defected with former Senate President, Bukola Saraki to the opposition PDP are now counting their losses.
He mocked Senator Dino Melaye, saying he was probably the only one struggling to find his feet out of the pack of defecting lawmakers.
“We do realize that all the 16 Senators who decamped along with Senator Bukola Saraki from APC to PDP, hard as they have tried to come back the Nigerian people in their respective constituencies, have insisted on punishing them for being disloyal and transferring it monetizing their mandates.
“I think the only one that is still struggling now is Dino Melaye but as you can see from the result so far, Senator Smart Adeyemi is leading by over 20,000 votes even though INEC insists we must have a re-run for the remaining areas we are confident that there is no way he can make up for 20,000 vote deficit,” he stated.
He said the President had been worried about the outcome of the election in both states but is happy that things turned out right.
“The President has always been concerned about peaceful elections, this is the only time the vote truly counted, our candidate attracted support across political divide, the president was very happy that we had another election.
“We came to present the governor-elect, governor David Lyon to President Muhammadu Buhari. As the President and our father, he has a brand new baby boy who will be sworn- in on Valentine Day February 14, 2020, as governor of Bayelsa State. We thanked the President for his fatherly role and he insisted that we must ensure that while we are determined to win the election that we must play by the rule and ensure that the process is transparent and above all the President has always been concerned about peaceful election and we were proud to inform him that besides very isolated cases of ballot box snatching, the election in Bayelsa can be described as the most peaceful.
“I believe since 1999, you as very seasoned journalists who have covered elections in Bayelsa in the past, you will agree that this is the only time we can say the election is truly transparent and peaceful. Again, our candidate attract supports across the political divide when you see territories and communities where his victory was being celebrated you will agree that not only did he had the support of the APC family, he had support beyond the APC family.
“And of course, the president was very happy that we had a peaceful election in Bayelsa state. But of course, we also know that there was an election in Kogi but that is a matter for another day when we present the governor re-elected.
“I think the lesson to be learnt as a party is rather clear that when politicians go to the polls to collect mandate on a particular political platform and then they dumped the party for another party, the electorate will always be waiting for them. Over time we are likely to see people out of fear for the electorate, not monetizing their mandate after they are elected. But overall, we are grateful to Almighty God for making this election successful, we appreciate the people of Bayelsa State who have reposed confidence in our party and on our candidate.
“We also want to appreciate the very warm reception that the former president accorded our candidate who in line with his character of humane, simplicity and commitment, in company of our chairman of APC governorship campaign for Bayelsa state, Jigawa state governor Abubakar Baduru and governor Bagudu who is the Chairman of APC governors forum and co-chair of the Bayelsa election”.
Lyon who could not hide his feelings, said today, represented one of his greatest day in his life.
He pledged to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people.
He said, “It is a great day because the great people of Bayelsa have spoken their minds by taking time to vote for our great party, APC.
“It is indeed a welcome development because at our campaigns we promised that when elected and sworn in, security and development will be our key agenda and with the support of Bayelsans they have made this possible.
“Today, on behalf of my APC leaders, I promise Bayelsans that, we will serve them and not them serving us. We also promise to respect leadership which is key for us. Today their vote has been counted and the people of Bayelsa will be respected.
“I am sincerely grateful and to our father, the President of this country, for his fatherly advise this afternoon, as one of his sons in APC, we want to say we Bayelsans will not disappoint APC. We will consults with our leaders, traditional rulers and I believe there will be a serious positive change in Bayelsa State.
“This incoming administration will make Bayelsans to see positive developments and that is key to us. Thank you so much for having me here today as governor elect of Bayelsa state”.
