APC chieftain says ongoing reconciliation will ensure victory in Bayelsa

Pastor Reuben Wilson, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa says the ongoing reconciliatory efforts will return the party to winning ways, ahead of the 2023 poll.

Wilson spoke with newsmen in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

He said that the Feb. 13, 2020 Supreme Court verdict which nullified the victory of the party on the eve of the inauguration of Chief David Lyon as the elected governor of the state, affected the party adversely.

He said that following the setback, the leadership and followers of the party lost the enthusiasm to push ahead, adding that he was inspired to rise above the setback and rediscover the party’s winning strategy.

According to him, the party will leverage on the massive goodwill that it enjoys leading to landslide victory at the last general election to woo the electorate back.

He said that Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA), an APC support group he initiated was set up to entrench unity among party leaders and followers for the success of the party at the poll.

“There were speculations that this support group was started to promote my political aspirations, but I have said emphatically that I have no ambition to go for the elective office, I did not pick a nomination form for any position.

“My aim for initiating PRIFGLA is out of my love for the party to keep ideals of the party and rejuvenate hope amongst the party followers, who felt abandoned following the misfortune we suffered on the verge of forming a government.

“We are glad that there is a lot of progress on the efforts to reunite all levels of leaders in our party, who held divergent views, and their differences are being resolved, and the party is coming together again.

“Once we get this reconciliation effort concluded, we shall bounce back to our winning streak, and regain the mandate of Bayelsa people because, in APC, we have the people to drive the holistic development of Bayelsa,” Wilson said.

According to him, the feedback from the mediatory moves within the party was very encouraging as all the major blocs within the party have shown commitment to peace and unity in the state chapter.

He said that the state was in dire need of all-round development that go beyond infrastructure, adding that the current and past administrations have tried, but pledged that APC would do better.

Wilson commended Chief Timipre Sylva, leader of the party in the state and the leadership at wards, local governments, and state executives of the party led by Dr Dennis Otiotioa, Chief David Lyon, and Heineken Lokpobiri for embracing peace.