Former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, yesterday, won in the rescheduled primary of All Progressives Congress, APC, to emerge as the party flag bearer for the December 5, governorship election in the state.
Sylva polled 981 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Godknows Powell, who garnered 39 votes.
Fourteen governorship aspirants participated in the primary.
The former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe, had earlier withdrawn from the race citing party interest and collateral consequences.
Also absent from the party secretariat, venue of the governorship primary, was the former Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Imoro Kubo and Ambassador Emmanuel Otiotio.
The governorship primary, which was conducted by a seven-man team, led by Brigadier- General Monsur Dan-Ali (retd), was peaceful and without any security hitch.
Most of the delegates were accredited and voted immediately to save time.
They also defied the early morning rains to cast their votes.
The result of the poll announced by the chairman of the panel showed that Warman Ogoriba, scored 28 votes; Chief Diekivie Ikiogha 22; Romeo Dikiye 10; Ebitei 9; Preye Aganaba 8; Mrs. Charity Valedego 7; Austin Ogoniwo-Febo 7; Prince Ebitimi Amgbare 3.
Others are Senator Clever Ikisikpo 3; Christopher Enai 2; Ambassador Felix Oboro 1; Ambassador Emannuel Otiotio 1; Pastor Mrs. Tonye Aperela nil; Dr. Imoro Kubor, nil; George Ombeh nil, while 27 votes were voided.
Chief Timipre Sylva, while accepting his victory, called on the party faithful and the supporters of the various aspirants, to come together to deliver the state from the failed administration of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He said: “We thank God that our symbol is the broom and we are ready to sweep out poverty, joblessness and under-development from the state.”
Amgbare, who spoke on behalf of the governorship aspirants, called on them to collapse their structures and fuse them into the APC to work for the victory of the party.
Security was water-tight in and outside the party secretariat, as delegates were allowed into the premises, to cast their vote on local government basis and were ushered out of the venue after exercising their franchise so as to avert a rowdy scenario.
Armed security operatives comprising men of the Joint Task Force, the Police, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were stationed at strategic points leading to the venue of the primary.
Diekive Ikiogha, Prof Tarilah Tebepah and Tonye Aperela came to the venue midway, protesting that they were not properly notified that the exercise was holding at the party secretariat, while they were waiting at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
But the chairman of the panel said all the aspirants were duly informed by the secretary via SMS. Vanguard
