Date Published: 09/20/10

Text of Press Conference by Bayelsa PDP Stakeholders

Gentlemen of the Press,

We called this press conference to draw the attention of the National Working Committee (NWC), Chairman and the members of Board of Trustees (BOT) and His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his capacity as the leader of the party and also as a stakeholder in the affairs of Bayelsa State on the very important matter of the lingering and unresolved party Executive crises in the State.

You will agree with us that at times like this when political activities have reached fever pitch, there is need for all and sundry to apply justice and fair play. As loyal party members, we are worried that the present state of affairs in the party in Bayelsa State is extremely precarious: INEC has repeatedly warned that PDP candidates that will emerge from states (Bayelsa inclusive) where congresses were not conducted (or properly conducted) in year 2008 WILL NOT BE RECOGNISED. The consequence of this is obvious – it will spell doom for our great party at the general elections.

Gentlemen of the Press, you are all aware of the annulment of congresses conducted in 2008 in some states including Bayelsa by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vide a letter signed by no other than the Secretary of the Commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama dated June 23rd, 2010 with reference: INEC/DPP/M&L/PDP/024/VOL.161.

Political developments and the situation of the party executive in the state clearly indicate the ominous sign that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, Governor of Bayelsa State and his handpicked nominees will be automatically returned as PDP candidates without a level playing field in clear contradiction to Mr. President’s commitment to conduct free, fair and credible elections. Specifically, we have been informed that the executives at the ward, local government and state levels who will be delegates in the forth coming primaries of the party remain those the NWC and INEC have long declared not duly elected (illegal).

You will agree with us that the entire scenario will only make mockery of the internal democracy mantra being brandied by the leadership of the party and will compromise the conduct of credible election promised by Mr. President.

Let us state clearly here that the recalcitrant attitude of Governor, Timipre Sylva has certainly pushed members of the party to the brink and if nothing urgent is done to correct his high handedness, the consequences could better be imagined in the run up to the presidential party primaries because members of the party in the state have decided to take their destiny in their own hands. There is no doubt that Governor Timipre Sylva’s continued insistence not to obey the directives of the NWC could not be unconnected with his plan to deny President Goodluck Jonathan the votes from Bayelsa in the presidential primaries.

Therefore, it will be foolhardy at this time for anybody including Mr. President to discountenance such an important matter in this very crucial period. With the foregoing, we look forward to a rocket-speed resolution of this matter while also appealing to the NWC to suspend all primary election activities in Bayelsa State pending the resolution of this matter.

Anuerin Bevin wrote in this book “IN THE PLACE OF FEAR” ‘’that if reason cannot provide for us the solution then reason itself is at fault.’’

Thank you all and God bless you.

Signed Bayelsa PDP Stakeholders

Dated Abuja 20 th September, 2010.