Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
There may be no end to the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2023 presidential election, as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, has accused two northern governors of using a Bayelsa governorship aspirant to feather their political aspirations.
The APC deputy spokesperson, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, threatened to name and shame the northern APC governors, should they fail to retrace their steps and follow the path of honour ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Bayelsa-born APC chieftain further alleged that the said governors were using the APC Bayelsa governorship aspirant, Heineken Lokpobiri, to cause disaffection in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta zone of the APC.
Lokpobiri, had recently approached the court to declare him, not David Lyon (now Governor-elect), as the authentic candidate of the APC.
However, reacting to the litigation, Nabena said: “It is common knowledge that Lokpobiri has refused to congratulate and identify with the governor-elect of Bayelsa State, David Lyon after his landslide election victory.
“Lokpobiri has refused to drop his misplaced and ill-advised legal action against the APC and David Lyon with the hope of acquiring the Bayelsa governoship mandate with the support of his sponsors. After the Bayesla governorship election, stakeholders have had several meetings where Lokpobiri’s sponsors were identified as two northern governors which I am not disposed to name for political reasons.
“Depending on the zoning arrangements adopted by the APC for the 2023 presidency, the governor’s are positioning themselves by scheming to control Bayelsa State through Lokpobiri and then use that as a springboard into other South-south states.
“I will not dwell on the political power play among APC leaders of the South-south for the soul of the region ahead of 2023. However, my strong advise for the governors is that they should focus on the development of their states and not meddle into the affairs of Bayelsa state and the South-south.”