The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor on November 11th, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, has announced his withdrawal from the campaign of his immediate predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva, who represented Nembe-Brass Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State in the House of Representatives under the party’s platform.
This announcement was made by Sunny-Goli at a news conference on Thursday in Yenagoa. He explained that the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who has been his principal for 20 years, currently lacks the structure to unseat Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the incumbent Governor, as a result of the divisions he has sparked within the APC in the state.
Hon. Sunny-Goli, who displayed a Governorship race chat, with incumbent,Gov. Douye Diri exected to emerge victorious in the eight Local Government Areas, he said that the former Minister of State for Resources has taken his loyalty of over 20 years for granted and as such he cannot continue to support him.
He said though there are other members of the party who will support Timipre Sylvia, “but because my interest is not in him, I have pulled out and it doesn’t mean that the party will not take part in the election. I have taken this decision so that, tomorrow people will not take loyalty and support for granted.
“I have mentioned here during my presentation that myself and supporters across the state have decided on who to support when it comes to the governorship election come Nov.11, 2023 and in the appropriate time we will let you know where we are going to put our vote.
“As a politician I have looked at the state and how the parties are preparing and it is my right to also say how I feel and I have told you as it stands if INEC is to conduct election, Gov. Douye Diri will win all the Eight Local Government Areas with landslide victory. And i am giving you a graphic position, so wait for me to tell you who I will support come November election.
Hon. Sunny-Goli, who was accompanied to the media interactive session by scores of traditional Chiefs and thousands of supporters, dismissed the claims that he will defect to the rulling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the State, insisting that he remains a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and will work against Sylva within the APC.
“Uptill date, I am still a member of the APC. You know we just elected our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and I am proud to be among those that supported him to succeed. On the occasion of having issues with my principal, Chief Timipre Sylva, these are issues that bother on taking my loyalty for more than 20years for granted. I have discuss with my supporters across the state and have told them my reasons and they have accepted it.
“Also i have my right to support whosoever I want to support when election comes. It is a tough decision because for you to leave a place where you have stayed for over 20years is not easy but for some obvious reasons I have to take a decision for some people to know that my loyalty and support should not be taken for granted for whatever reason.
“So I am quitting the campaign of Timipre Sylva in order to stop him from becoming the governor of Bayelsa State come November 11 and at the appropriate time the world will know who we are going to support.”
