The Bayelsa State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Tiwei Oruminighe, has ruled out the possibility of the party adopting a consensus candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
He insisted that the party’s governorship candidate would be selected through a strict primary election to be conducted by the party.
Orunimighe’s clarification was made at a press conference in Yenogoa against the backdrop of insinuations that the party’s candidate would emerge through consensus rather than primaries.
He said: “On the issue of adoption of candidate and whatever the public must have heard about the APC, we want to reiterate that this party in Bayelsa State will follow strictly what the national party has demonstrated at the national level.
“Everybody in Bayelsa that wants to join the party somehow has an ambition. They want to be governor or any other elective officers. Yes, it is good to keep an ambition, but this party wants to tell the public that whoever is joining us should keep an ambition at the quiet end and join the party to work so that the party can deliver. We will not make the mistake of saying we are adopting a candidate. There will be proper party primaries to select whoever will fly the flag and I believe tha the leadership of this party is capable of producing a good standard bearer that will win election for Bayelsa State.
“I believe this will prove people wrong that we have adopted a candidate and that we are not together. This party remains one indivisible unit, very united and we will forge ahead stronger to win the coming election in Bayelsa.”
The party boss also confirmed the expulsion of two leaders of the party, Chief Richard Kpodoh and Mr. Frank Oputu, adding that their expulsion remained and that the party stood by that action.
He said: “As I said, the issue of expelled members of the APC– the persons of Richard Kpodoh and Frank Oputu, remain expelled. Before even confirming their expulsion, these are members that had already left the party and defected to the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
“They told us that our party was dead on arrival, but today, Nigerians and Bayelsans have seen that the party is still very much alive, capable of taking over power in Bayelsa. We still want to affirm to the public that that action of the State Working Committee is what we have done well as a party and we stand by it. Kpodo and Oputu remain expelled from the party.”
On those who were suspended, Orunimighe said the party has its guidelines and a constitution, adding that the suspended members all their right to fair hearing and defence.
According to him, a committee has been set up to look in to their case and if found guilty, they can also appeal the decision of the committee.
“That is how the guideline is; they have their right, they have their liberty to come before the panel and defend themselves,” he stated
