…APC elders ‘uncover’ Diri’s plot to lure party’s national leaders for project inauguration

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa APC Elders Council said it has uncovered a plot by the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, to bring some high-ranking national leaders of the APC to inaugurate what they described as  “substandard projects” as part of his desperate manipulative campaign strategy ahead of the November 11 election.

It said they intercepted Diri”s programme of events listing the Vice President, Kashim Shettima and Senator Adams Oshiomhole as leaders pencilled down for invitation.

The elders in a statement signed by their Secretary, Elder Borchson Yengizifa, said their intelligence revealed the governor wanted to create an impression that the APC leaders were sent by President Bola Tinubu to attend the event.

They advised Diri to bury the manipulative strategy adding that the leaders and President Tinubu had not hidden their support for the governorship candidate of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva.

He said: “This ill-conceived idea is to create an impression that these APC leaders were sent by our very dear President, H.E Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which isn’t true.

“President Tinubu hasn’t hidden his support for our candidate Chief Timipre Sylva and the APC in Bayelsa State. Recently at the Villa, President Tinubu lifted up Sylva’s hands and endorsed him for Governor in front of cameras. So this manipulative move by Diri will fail.

“We are certain none of our leaders, especially the Vice-President will fall for this ruse and accept Diri’s Greek Gifts. Diri is a living witness of the widespread support the APC enjoys from our people so he is trying to reap where he did not sow.

“We beat him by more than half of the votes in 2019, we also trounced his candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in that year’s Presidential election and did a repeat performance in 2023 when our dear President Sen. Bola Tinubu and his amiable vice-president,  Kashim Shettima, emerged victorious at the poll against Diri’s PDP and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. So Diri’s fear for our party stems from the fact he has become a veteran in the business of losing to APC”.

Yengizifa insisted that no APC leader would be deceived to attend the campaigns of the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) designed and presented as project inauguration.