Why APC boycotted Bayelsa LGs’ election – Gov aspirant

A governorship aspirant in Bayesla state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Prince Ebitimi Angbare has said the party boycotted the local government election because it lacked confidence in the Bayelsa state Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC) to conduct a credible poll.

He alleged Wednesday after obtaining his Nominations and Expression of Interest forms at the party national headquarters in Abuja that all the officials of the state electoral body are card carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“We boycotted that election because we did not have confidence in Bayelsa state Electoral Commission. All of members of the commission are card carrying members of the PDP.”

He said the decision to shun the election that was conducted last Saturday and in which the PDP won in all eight council chairmen and 105 councillors was unanimous.

On his decision to aspire to govern the state, he said this would be his third attempt at being the governor of the state, stressing that he was in the race because it was time for Bayelsa state to join the league of progressive states, noting that the state has no business remaining in the PDP.

“PDP has not treated Bayelsa state fairly. The progressive started back in 1999, I joined the progressive movement in 2006 and I was the governorship candidate of the Action Congress in 2007.

“And because the PDP has always been winning election through rigging, they rigged again in that election and I challenged the election up to the Appeal Court and the court granted my petition.

“We having this election out of the usual calendar is because of me and that is some level of selflessness and high display of character. That is the value I bring to this contest.

“I have the best progressive credentials in Bayelsa state not only in the APC but across board, nobody has been as selfless as I am.”

Angbare noted that the state’s treasury has been under serious attack because people have refused to be selfless.

“The attack on the treasury is when you run a system that does not make public spending open, you are attacking the treasury. In a democracy, the way you measure progress is different from a military regime.

“In a democracy, public spending must be open, you can’t tell us that you have spent N60 billion to construct a road from point A to point C without letting the public know how much you truly spent.”

Angbare also said that direct primary method being proposed by the state executive of the party would be the best mode of selecting a capable standard bearer for the party in the forthcoming governorship election on November 16.

“I would prefer direct primary, the president and National Assembly members, were produced through direct primaries. We can only improve on that. For anybody to say we should go back to indirect primary is like taking us back to Egypt,” Angbare said.

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