Oshiomhole breached electoral process - Sylva fires back

Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has dismissed the claims by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who headed Tuesday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Electoral Committee’s primary, that he scuttled it.

Timipre Sylva

In a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, by his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, the former governor said: “It is unfortunate that people like Oshiomhole, …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 Tuesday, September 22. The grouse of the delegates was that the primary had been shifted once at Oshiomhole’s request. That shift caused enough hardship already. The ‘comrade’ was again shifting the goal post, without giving consideration to the 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 that accreditation of delegates was to begin at 8am …but he came to the venue of the programme well past 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.

“Third, Oshiomhole cannot really say anything about the primary because he left the venue at the time voting began. Oshiomhole set the process in motion for voting to begin 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.

“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.

“Fourth, it bothers on pettiness for Oshiomhole to quote me as the 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 primary? 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.

“Fifth, Oshiomhole came to Yenagoa with a clear agenda, which was to get me out of the race at all cost. We are aware that he had been lobbying at the centre to get me out of the race to pave the way for one of the aspirants. Indeed, one of the aspirants had boasted openly that Oshiomhole would cancel the primary once he arrived, shortly before his arrival.

“Oshiomhole should not tell lies; if I was not there, contrary to his insinuation that I rented thugs to manhandle him, the crowd would have manhandled him. I personally accompanied Oshiomhole to the gate when he was going to eat…”

Oshiomhole breached electoral process - Sylva fires back