Renowned lawyer, seasoned administrator emerged Bayelsa ACP chair
...Plans to recapture mandate from PDP
Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
With the emergence of Barr. Dennis Otiotio as the new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), in Bayelsa State, last weekend, the party says it was ready to recapture what it described as ‘ stolen mandate ‘ in the last gubernatorial elections in the state.
Barr. Otiotio emerged as the duly elected chairman of the party state chapter of the party, last Saturday, after a state congress that was adjudged one of the most peaceful in recent times.
Others elected at the congress included Kolokolo Francis as Deputy Chairman, Ebipadei as the state Secretary, George Otto senatorial Vice Chairman, ThankGod Dezigha as Vice Senatorial chairman Centra and Engr. Alabo Martins Senatorial Vice chairman East.
While Ebiere Akpobassa as state Women leader; Ebimene Atti State Treasurer, Preye Agama Youth leader, as Doufie Bokoribo was also returned as the state Publicity Secretary.
Of the 36 positions, six were keenly contested for said DCP Yusuf Aurelius Adejo (Rtd), Chairman of the 7-man State Congress Committee who further described the conduct of the State Congress as a family affair considering the peaceful outcome.
Otiotio who described his emergence as God’s plan to unite the hitherto divided party Bin the state, disclosed in his acceptance speech noted that it’s only the unity among party members in the state that would lead to reclaiming the stolen mandate.
A high-powered committee, according to him, would be set up to reconcile all aggrieved party members to ensure a positive effect on party activities in the state.
This, according to Otiotio, a session lawyer and administrator , would be the first step to Creek Haven in 2023 Guber elections.
“We are going to set up a committee to reconcile all aggrieved members.
“Unite the party members and prepare for the 2023 election to reclaim the mandate that was stolen from APC in the state in the last Guber elections” added Otiotio who further recalled how Bayelsans massively voted for the APC in the last Guber elections in the state.
“Bayelsans who knew what APC can do for the state massively came out to vote for the party but the mandate was stolen through the Supreme Court judgement.
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“You voted massively for APC in the immediate past election but it was stolen from us
“They said it is miracle , there is no miracle , because this is man-made, miracles are divine , miracles are God made . What happened. It is witch craft and not any miracle
“I will assure you that the next elections we are going to reclaim our mandate
The new APC state chairman also lauded President Mohammadu Buhari and Chief Timipre Sylva leader of the APC in Bayelsa state for ensuring that credible elections are conducted in every state and Bayelsa state respectively.
“We thank Chief Timipre Sylva for his fatherly support and love . It is one Sylva one APC in Bayelsa state ” added Otiotio the new APC Chairman who pledged , on behalf of the exco members their unalloyed and unflinching loyalty to Chief Sylva as leader of the party in Bayelsa state. Stressing “there is none like him. We say ONE Sylva one APC.
In answer to a question on the spate of decamping that had rocked the Party in the state of recent . To this, Otiotio says he hasn’t seen any real members o APC leaving the party . Instead those who had left were PDP members who had swamped into the party following the last victory of APC in the Guber elections. But left after the stolen the mandate.
“The members that have left the party. I haven’t seen any APC member that has left the party since after the last governorship elections till now.
“It is PDP that is deceiving PDP. They are PDP members becuse they had crossed over to APC when they see that we were wining the gubernatorial election then. And now that it has been stolen from us, they went back to their party, PDP.
“They weren’t APC members they were PDP members that have been decamping .But for the APC members they are still there”
Besides making APC a formidable force in the state, Otiotio says he want to make Bayelsans to know that the APC is the party to bring better administration and impact positively their lives.
“I want to assure Bayelsans that APC is the alternative to the current maladministration in the state .”There is scarcity of good governance in Bayelsa state.
“APC will bring credible candidates that will bring development to the people.
“We are not talking about street lights, roundabouts . We are talking about real development that the people need.
“The people of Bayelsa state need water . In Yenagoa main town there is no water . “Even the water board, the ministry of water resources buy water from hawkers. It’s so unfortunate. It is disappointing.
“The current PDP government does not have any plan to develop the state becuse they were not ready , the court just gave judgement and put them there.
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“But in APC we are ready, we have a plan. So what we are saying is that, people should start coming to APC we are going to form the next government in Bayelsa state
The well attended state congress was witnessed by major stakeholders led by the Senator Degi Eremienyo, two members of Federal House of Representative, Hon. Isreal Sunny-Goli and Hon. Preye Influence Oseke.
.In his comments shortly after the exercise, Hon. Preye Oseke who represents Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency commended the conduct of the exercise, predicting that the emergence of Barr. Otiotio as the Chairman of the Party will lead to the emergence of new APC and rejuvenated party in the state.
“As a season lawyer, politician and administrator, Barr. Otiotio will reach out to all stakeholders are carried along in the affairs of the party. To those that are aggrieved in all states of the federation, I want to admonish them that APC is a grassroots, socialists and participatory party where the people matter most than we that lead them.
“And I believe that with the people behind us, the APC will win the 2023 elections. In Bayelsa, we worked hard in 2019 and we won. Now that it later became a PDP state, we will not stop at winning the Governorship election in 2023.”
