2023 Guber: Crack In Bayelsa APC As Lokpobiri, Lyon Abandon Sylva, Back Diri

…Diri gains Jonathan’s support, woos ex-President’s kinsmen

In the run-up to Bayelsa State’s gubernatorial election on November 11, 2023, the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) seems to be in disarray. There are approximately ten political parties in fray for the top spot, but the real gubernatorial contest, according to political observers, is between the current Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the former Governor Timpreye Sylva.

Governor Diri is reportedly capitalizing on the internal discord within the APC to reinforce his appeal to the public and is making efforts to persuade dissatisfied APC members in the state to join him in securing his second term. These disgruntled APC members might soon endorse Governor Diri, abandoning Chief Sylva.

Evidence suggests that Governor Diri has reached out to influential APC figures who have been alienated by Chief Sylva, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), and David Lyon, the 2019 gubernatorial candidate. Reliable sources suggest that Lokpobiri and Lyon are clandestinely supporting Governor Diri’s re-election bid.

The duo have axe to grind with Chief Sylvia and have stayed away from the campaigns and political activities of the former governor in the build up to the next month governor ship election in the State.

Investigation revealed that all efforts to resolve the lingering crisis in the divided Bayelsa APC by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and other top leaders of the party proved abortive.

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Our source disclosed that Governor Diri is taking advantage of the situation to further divide the opposition ranks by giving a lot of concessions ahead of the poll.

The source claimed that the governor has promised to hand over to Lokpobiri as governor, with Lyon as deputy governor, if both of them duo can fully dump Sylva and join forces with him to win the November 11th governorship election in the state.

According to our source; “Governor Diri has not only conceded 50 slots of Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) each to Lokpobiri and Lyon, he has also promised them some measures of influence on decision making”.

“This unholy alliance between the governor and APC top chieftains implies that the two may have to defect to the PDP after Lokpobiri has served his term as minister in the Tinubu administration ahead of the battle to succeed Diri in 2026”, our source added.

But our source alleged that Governor Diri is threatened by the cold attitude of his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, who has stayed away from his administration and likely not to give him the needed support.

It is being speculated that the former governor and his camp nurse a feeling of alienation and marginalization and efforts by the PDP national leadership to broker truce has not seen the light of day.

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Senator Dickson was said to be not comfortable that Governor Diri was going about his reelection especially with the opposition elements without carrying him along.

According to our source, apart from Lokpobiri, Lyon and other members of the APC family, Governor Diri has equally reached to other big wigs in his party, PDP.

The governor, our source disclosed, has also promised Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) the succession opportunity.

Senator Agadaga is from Ogbia, the base of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Diri is promising succession across party lines by making overtures to APC and PDP. He also promised the Director General of his campaign council, Hon. Mitema Obodor, who is a member of the House of Representatives ,representing Ogbia Constituency of succession. So, also is Robert Enogha, a former commissioner and two-time member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, who also hails from Ogbia”, the source said.

“The three of them, Governor Diri has made succession promises to – Obodor; Agadaga and Enogha, are all of Goodluck Jonathan’s stock in Ogbia. This succession promise for Ogbia guys was a deceitful plot to secure Dr. Jonathan blessing and support in the forthcoming November poll.

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“Surprisingly, former President Goodluck Jonathan has also fallen for the bait. He is supporting the reelection of Governor Diri because of dummy the governor has sold to him that one of his kinsmen from Ogbia is going to succeed him after his second term in office.”