Former Bayelsa State governor and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, has dismissed Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s claim that he (Sylva) disrupted and aborted the APC governorship primary on Tuesday.
He accused Oshiomhole of lies and mischief, saying he did not tell the truth about what transpired during the primary election.
Oshiomhole, who also accused Sylva of hijacking the primary, dismissed reports that the party primary held and that Sylva emerged as the APC candidate.
The Edo State Governor further stated the electoral process was hijacked by thugs, allegedly supervised by the former governor, who insisted that the exercise should be conducted without accreditation.
But Sylva in a statement on Thursday through his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, entitled, ‘The Lies and Mischiefs of Oshiomhole’, stated it was clear that Oshiomhole never wanted to conduct the primary as scheduled.
The formeer governor, who claimed to be the winner of the primary, lashed out at Oshiomhole, saying he had a preconceived view of the Bayelsa APC primary.
Sylva said, “It is unfortunate that people like Adams Oshiomhole, the governor of Edo State and former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, who pretend to be incorruptible, would conduct himself in the manner in which he did in relation to the Bayelsa State governorship primary. It was clear that Oshiomhole never wanted to conduct the primary as scheduled
“First, on his request, the primary was shifted from its earlier date of Saturday, September 19, to the Tuesday, September 22 date. The grouse of the delegates was that the primaries had been shifted once on Oshiomhole’s request. That shift caused enough hardship already. The ‘comrade’ was again shifting the goal post, without giving consideration to these hapless delegates. It was that frustration that we were managing. It is so sad that the governor did not appreciate our effort.
“Second, as chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Oshiomhole knew full well that accreditation of delegates was to begin at 8am on Tuesday, September 22, but he came to the venue of the programme well past 12 noon. After he arrived at that late hour, he proceeded with a meeting with the committee members and another meeting with the aspirants. He clearly had preconceived plans about the Bayelsa APC governorship primary.”
Sylva stated Oshiomhole could not really say anything about the primary election because he had left the venue at the time voting commenced.
He claimed Oshiomhole set the process in motion for voting to commence before he excused himself on the grounds that he was going to eat, and he mandated other members of the committee to carry on without him.
He added, “The world needs to know that the Bayelsa State Electoral Committee is made up of seven members, and of the seven, only Oshiomhole left. The other six remained, conducted the primary and declared Sylva winner of the exercise.
“It bothers on pettiness for Governor Oshiomhole to quote me as antagonist to new entrants to our party. Every discussion I had with the governor was public. The only private conversation I had with him was when he walked up to me and asked me if I truly believed he was working against my interest. To that I answered ‘yes’. As a man of integrity, he even offered to step down as chairman. If he had stepped down would that have invalidated the primaries? We should refrain from exaggerating our worth and integrity. Let other good people judge our character.
“After all, I was the one that received all new entrants. Oshiomhole was invited and he did not come.”
Sylva also stated Oshiomhole came to Yenagoa with a clear agenda, which was to get him out of the race at all cost.
He stated they were aware that he had been lobbying at the centre to get him (Sylva) out of the race in order to pave the way for one of the aspirants.
He claimed that the aspirant had boasted openly that Oshiomhole would cancel the primary once he arrived, shortly before his arrival.