Former governor o Bayelsa and Minister of state for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, has said that the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state is a must win for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Minister also lamented that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took over Bayelsa and Edo states through back doors, hence the APC must win back the governorship seat.
Speaking with newsmen Tuesday at the national secretariat of the APC, after a closed door meeting of the contacts and mobilisation sub committee of the National Campaign Council, Sylva said: “All of us in the South-south believe that this election must be won. Edo state is our only APC state in the South-south.
“A few months ago, as you are all aware, they took Bayelsa state from us through the back door after we won the election and now through the back door again, they have taken Edo state but luckily we have the opportunity of reclaiming Edo state in a few weeks from now and every south south APC member is of the consensus that we must reclaim Edo.”
The former governor declared that governor Godwin Obaseki’s incumbency in Edo state has ‘comma’ hence such influence won’t work during the election.
When asked whether he has any fair concerning the power of incumbency of governor Obaseki, Sylva said: “It is (Edo) our stronghold in the region and therefore we are all geared up, we will all go to Edo state. We want to assure you that you should not entertain any doubt that Edo state will be an APC state very soon come the election in September.
“Election is not all about finance. First if you say the power of incumbency, it is an APC incumbency that has been stolen by the PDP. So, that kind of incumbency has comma and that is why we believe that such incumbency will not work.
“The Edo people know that Edo state is for APC and I want to assure you that we are in touch with our people in Edo state and we know that we are the dominant party in Edo state and we are going to win this election.”
Obaseki’s incumbency has comma, APC must reclaim Edo – Minister
