Former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission NDCC, Timi
Alaibe has withdrawn from the primary of the All Progressives Congress,
APC in Bayelsa State.
The withdrawal of Alaibe from the Governorship race elicited jubilation
within the camp of former Governor Timipre Sylva who insisted that he won
the last controversial primary which was canceled.
Both Alaibe and Sylva have been neck deep in political squabble over who
should pick the APC Governorship ticket. While Sylva argues he is the
leader and major financier of the party in the State, Alaibe claims he is
the preferred candidate.
Sylva and Governor Adams Oshiomhole who supervised the controversial APC
primary were engaged in verbal attacks over the circumstances surrounding
the botched Governorship Primary.
In his to withdrawal from the race, the former MD NDDC sited the need for
the APC to form a strong coalition to dislodge the ruling PDP.
Alaibe said He “It is with all nostalgia that I recall the zeal,
enthusiasm and hope with which thousands of Bayelsans made a statement in
the direction of change in August, 2015. I can also vividly recall a
mental replay of the occasion wherein a qualitative representation of the
leadership of our great party, the All Progressives Congress ( APC)
ushered in respected leaders and members from their then party, Peoples
Democratic Party ( PDP) .
“That singular event has been phenomenal just as its true meaning and
direction have all exuded confidence, unity of purpose, cohesion,
collectivism and courage. That day undoubtedly marked the beginning of a
people’s journey from hopelessness and squandry as enunciated by the
accidental PDP-led ýgovernment in Bayelsa state to that of quality
leadership that an APC government will represent.
“As one of such leaders who took that historic decision, I thought of
giving a further bite to my burning desire to extricate the state fromý
abysmal leadership failure. Therefore, my aspiration to be governor after
series of consultations was to rekindle our collective hope and lift the
state beyond its current state of decay under the PDP.
“Regardless, I am not oblivious of the fundamental fact that we all need a
virile, united, cohesive and collaborative APC to bring about our desires
to fruition. Not only do we need this, APC deserves every sacrifice,
including personal interests, to arrive at the envisaged destination come
February, 2016.
“This is more so that both as individual leaders and as a party, the need
to avoid the a situation of crisis that the PDP might inadvertently reap
from cannot be over emphasised.
“As a result, having carefully examined the circumstances that have
trailed the Governorship primaries of our great party in Bayelsa state, I
have come to the conclusion that pushing my governorship ambition beyond
this point carries alongside it some collateral consequences.
“Succinctly, two options are available to me. Whereas I am confident that
I have the required support of my admirers and supportersý as well as the
needed backing of Bayelsans to govern them, the hurdles set on the way of
this noble project are seemingly temptous and capable of overheating the
APC in Bayelsa.
“In another vein, the virtuous path to take is that virtuous one in which
personal interest are sacrificed for the common good,whether for the APC
or the state in general. This is the path I chose in the light of the
prevailing circumstances. I therefore withdraw from the governorship
primary contest.
“This decision is taken in the interest of our party especially as we face
the task of the common challengeý of unseating the PDP in the state come
December 5.”