National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the crisis rocking the Bayelsa chapter of the party was being resolved.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two factions of the party in Bayelsa met at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday to resolve their differences.
NAN recalls that the Chairman of the party in the state, Tiwei Orunimighe, had accused former governor of the state, Chief Timipreye Sylva, of not consulting the party in Bayelsa before nominating Mr Heineken Lokpobiri for ministerial appointment.
It also recalls that at the height of accusations and counter-accusations by the factions, Orunimighe alleged that Sylva was not a card-carrying member of the party.
At the end of Wednesday’s reconciliatory meeting, Odigie-Oyegun told newsmen when contacted that the meeting “it is ongoing’’.
On his part, Sylva’s said “the decision of the party is `no press’’’.
NAN reports that while the meeting lasted, a group of protesters besieged the secretariat, chanting support for Orunimighe.
The leader of the protesters, Jephta Iyekuruwe, told newsmen they were in Abuja to remind the leadership that they had laboured for the party in the state but had not enjoyed the dividends.
“The Presidency, through the national secretariat gave five executive chances to Bayelsa state.
“At the end of the day, our candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, cornered all of them and sent five names without consulting the party led by Chief Tiwe’s.
“We have laboured, from inception for APC. We were tagged Boko Haram party and supporters of Boko Haram party by some of the PDP people, because then the President of Nigeria was from Bayelsa.
“We strongly believe that the party would be strengthened for further programmes of APC in Bayelsa and Nigeria.
“So, we are here to state that the five chances given to Bayelsa should be given to the party to decide so that those that had suffered from 2014 should be involved,’’ he said. (NAN)
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