Politics

Bayelsa Guber: Why Lyon Wasn’t Given Automatic Ticket – APC

Published

3 years ago

April 14, 2023

David Lyon

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has explained why it did not give its candidate in the last governorship election in the state, David Lyon an automatic ticket to contest the coming November 11th state governorship poll.

The ruling APC said the party decided to make its governorship primary in Bayelsa state, scheduled to hold on Friday, to be open for all aspirants to contest for sake of fairness and in adherence to the Electoral Act 2022.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

He said though the party leaders have sympathy for David Lyon over the loss of his mandate in 2020, “you cannot use sympathy to upstage legality and due process”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is expected to conduct off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states, respectively on November 11, 2023.

Recall that Lyon, who was the APC candidate in the 2019 Bayelsa State Governorship Election, had been declared Governor-Elect by INEC.

However, in February 2020, the Supreme Court sacked the Lyon, and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo and affirmed Duoye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Bayelsa governor and deputy governor respectively

Lyon’s election was nullified after his deputy was accused of submitting forged certificates to INEC.

Lyon has bought the party’s N50m governorship ticket to contest Friday’s primary. Amongst some of his co-contenders is a former governor of the state and an ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

Why APC adopts direct primaries

The APC said it will adopt the direct mode for Friday’s governorship primaries in the three states, which involves all card-carrying members or registered members of the party in each of the wards of the three states to elect the aspirants of their choice as the party’s candidates.

Morka said Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is the sole aspirant of the party but the primary will hold in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.

“Governor Hope Uzodimma is the sole aspirant for that position for our party in Imo. Even though he is the sole aspirant, the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 must be fulfilled, hence the conduct of the primary on Friday,” he said.

About six aspirants are vying for the ticket in Bayelsa including Lyon and Sylva.

The APC National Publicity Secretary said, “He (David Lyon) contested election and he won and the majority votes that he scored was never challenged or disputed.

“So, the fact that he was not inaugurated as governor was not because there was any question mark on his victory. He won the election free and clear but unfortunately some technical issues with the fellow who ran with him warranted some court order and deprived him of the fruit of that success.”

He said many Nigerians cast their votes for him for years ago and they should vote him if he is still their preferred choice.

“They spoke loud and clear and now that a time has come for that election, we’re hoping that as citizens, they’re free to go to the primaries, for those of them who are members of the party to support him if that is their preference still or support any of the other aspirants in the race,” he said.

Up Next

APC Begins Direct Primary In 105 Wards To Choose Bayelsa Guber Candidate

Don't Miss

Guber Poll: Lagos PDP Suspends State Chairman, Deputy Over Alleged Anti-party Activities

Comments

Politics

Dino Melaye Reacts To Malami’s Arraignment For Money Laundering

Published

19 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Ex-Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the arraignment of a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Melaye wished Malami well as he began his trial for corruption.

Posting on X, the former lawmaker recalled how he was prosecuted by Malami over what he described as frivolous cases while he was the AGF.

He wrote: “Reminded me of how I was appearing in different courts when Malami as AGF was prosecuting me over frivolous cases including taking over one of the police cases against me. Wish him.well.”

Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and another individual are facing a 16-count charge of money laundering.

They were arraigned on allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

1 day ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

2 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.