Bayelsa guber: Sylva commences search for running mate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State is looking for a competent and acceptable running mate for its gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, won the party’s primary in April with 52,061 votes, defeating five other candidates.

To ensure victory in the poll slated for November 11, APC has commenced the search for a politically strong ally to complement the ticket.

The searchlight, it was gathered, is focused on a candidate from Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa local government areas with strong followers.

“Power brokers in the party are pushing for a running mate  from Southern Ijaw as compensation for the loss of the governorship in 2020 when the Supreme Court sacked governor-elect, Chief David Lyon. And there is pressure to restrict the search for the running mate from Southern Ijaw to only aspirants that contested the APC primaries,” a source said.

Sylva in 2015 had picked Wilberforce Igiri from Southern Ijaw as running mate.

Three aspirants –  David Lyon, Festus Daumiebi and Joshua Maciver from Southern Ijaw contested the primaries with Sylva.

Sylva in an interview confirmed there was ongoing  search for his running mate.

“The issue of running mate is what I have to do at the appropriate time. We are still looking around to get an appropriate person to complement me. A running mate is a very important aspect of the ticket and you need to have somebody that can complement you, who has qualities that you don’t have so that you can work together. We are still watching,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sylva explained that his presence at the burial ceremony  of Governor Douye Diri’s father at  the weekend was in reciprocity of the invitation extended to him.

Many Bayelsans were happy to see Sylva attend the burial, considering that Diri is his major opponent in the November poll, and the no love lost between them.

“Governor Diri wrote to me and invited me, and for me, that was a gesture and I decided to reciprocate by attending. As far as I am concerned politics is not personal, we still have our personal relationship. I may disagree with Governor Diri, but on a personal level, I still consider him a friend. Even Senator Dickson, I disagree with him on many fronts, but I still consider him a friend. Governor Diri invited me and it was my pleasure to attend,” he said.