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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A group under the auspices of Nigeria Youth Organization for Leadership and Right Activation has pleaded with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to consider adopting David Lyon as its consensus candidate for the forthcoming Bayelsa State governorship election.
Ahead of the April 10 party primary for the November 11, 2023 poll, the group in a statement signed by national coordinator, Yusuf Yahuza, argued that adopting Lyon who won overwhelmingly in the November 2019 election will brighten the chances of the party as he is widely accepted by the people of the state.
The group further maintained that adopting a consensus candidate will not only serve natural justice to the majority of Bayelsans who voted their preferred candidate then but also boost the fortunes of the party.
“As Bayelsans prepare for the November 2023 governorship election, it is our candid opinion that the party should as a matter of justice and fairness, consider a candidate that has over the time been the choice of the people of the state. It is also our candid view that the leadership of the party should try to avoid misstates of the past.
“Supreme Court had sacked Lyon less than 24 hours before his inauguration as governor of Bayelsa state. The decision of the apex court was in affirmation of the verdict of a Federal High Court disqualifying Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, Lyon’s running mate, for submitting forged credentials to INEC.
“Consequent upon the above, the right thing to be done by the party is to give Lyon the ticket of the party. Also, there has been reports of some aspirants for the election that have ran contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and it is important to caution the part to take steps to prevent the party from running into litigations that may affect its chances of fielding a candidate for the election.
“Our attention has also been drawn to the provision of section 84 (12) and (13) respectively “that no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of nomination of candidate for any election.
“We hereby join our voice to the several voices that have raised alarm on the infringement of the electoral act that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye Sylva has been cleared by the APC screening committee to contest for the election”, the statement added.
