A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governorship aspirant in the September 3 primaries in Bayelsa, Mr Keniebi Okoko has dismissed the candidature of David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that he cannot win the November election.
He said the choice of Lyon as the candidate has greatly reduced the chances of the party making any impact.
Okoko, who spoke with journalists in Yenagoa, insisted that the pockets of defections in the PDP recently, was a blessing in disguise, noting that it had given the young and energetic youths in the party the opportunity to deploy their energies for the campaigns.
He urged Bayelsans to make the right choice by voting Senator Douye Diri in the next election, stressing that making the wrong choice could portend grave danger for the state.
“Bayelsans are now not easily deceived anymore. What are the criteria he (Lyon) has for being a leader. Is it that he runs an oil pipeline surveillance contract? Even at that, what tactics did he use to secure the pipelines? David Lyon is a poor choice for the APC. Put side by side each other, the PDP and the APC candidates are not on the same level. And I am not insulting anybody here. Being a good person or that you have been good to some persons does not translate into a good leader. Governors are members of the National Economic Council and they are supposed to contribute. The APC candidate should come out and talk about his economic policies. He should not be sending people to speak for him. Let him give us his blueprint. Let him articulate his views about governance and we will listen to him”, he said.
However, Lyon in statement by his media aide, Gift Ebiki slammed Okoko over his comments, noting that he is suffering a post-traumatic disorder caused by his failed bid as a governorship aspirant to clinch the ticket of his party.
He said the way and manner Okoko was deceived by his party elders and defeated at the party primaries of PDP despite spending huge amount of money and other resources were enough to cause such trauma.