The All Progressives Congress has inaugurated a 40-man campaign committee for the Bayelsa State governorship election slated to hold on December 5, 2015.
The committee, which has Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as chairman, also has the governors of Sokoto, Kano, Lagos, Borno, Imo, and Zamfara states as members.
Inaugurating the committee at the APC national headquarters, in Abuja, on Monday, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party’s expectation was that all the party’s 22 governors would storm the state for the campaign.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the seven governors who have so far volunteered to serve in the committee. He explained that the importance of the APC securing victory in the December polls could not be overemphasised.
According to him, while the APC was not seeking to make Nigeria a one-party state, the task ahead required that everyone should be brought on board.
Oyegun said, “I think it underscores in very clear terms, the importance the whole party attaches to the Bayelsa election. The time is short; that we understand, but the circumstances and the situation are very upbeat and very promising for eventual victory at the election.
“Just as I was confident about the national election, I am confident of the Bayelsa election because we have a good product. Secondly, we have a totally and abysmally underperforming governor in Bayelsa State.
“Thirdly, the governing party in Bayelsa State has crumbled because most of the significant people in that party are today with us seeking votes for a progressive party. Lastly, we have a crack team comprising members of the campaign council and our job here today is to send them forth to undertake this challenging assignment.”
He informed members of the committee that the task before them was simple. He said they should ensure that they do everything legally possible to bring the people of Bayelsa State into the APC fold.
In his remarks, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal said, “Our task is very clear to us and the task has been defined and blessed by God almighty.
“We shall do everything humanly possible within the confines of the law to bring into Government House of Bayelsa State, Timipreye Silva, come December 5, 2015.”
He assured President Muhammadu Buhari and the members of the party that the committee made up of committed party members would ensure that the state joined the APC family.
Other members of the committee included Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos); Kashim Shettima (Borno); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), among others.
Source: Punch