The stage is set for a parallel state congress of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State scheduled to hold on Saturday.
Already loyalists of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva and those of the former Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri have concluded arrangements to hold the state congress at the two separate secretariats located at Mbiama/ Yenagoa road and Dimrose junction respectively.
The two factions are forging ahead with the state congress despite a subsisting court order of the Bayelsa State High Court and the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State over the conduct of congresses of the party in the state.
From the faction loyal to Sylva, stakeholders in a consensus meeting have shared the positions with each local government having four slots each. From this arrangement, the State Chairmanship, Deputy and Secretary positions were zoned to Nembe, Sagbama and Yenagoa Local government Areas of the State respectively.
Party sources said Chief Dennis Otiotio- Odoni is likely to emerge as the state party chairman, Mr Francis Kolokolo as deputy and a former member of the State House of Assembly, Mr Ebipade Basil Fekoweimo would be elected secretary.
Otiotio- Odoni who in an interview said he would be honoured if elected as party chairman of APC in Bayelsa State promised to ensure that the party is rebranded to provide a viable opposition to the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the state.
Findings revealed that two leading aspirants, Mr Sunday Frank- Okputu and Mr Peres Peretu have procured Expression of Interest Forms to contest the Chairmanship in the state congress to be conducted by the Lokpobiri faction.
Frank-Okputu in an interview said well meaning members of the party in the state have decided to rescue the party from bad leadership which has been responsible for its poor showing in elections.
According to him if elected he would bring fresh breath of air to the party,
“I am a vision bearer and I would ensure that the stakeholders of the party are properly consulted. We will not allow people to stay in Abuja and dictate the activities within the party,” he said.
