Re-Election Fever Hits Sylva, Seeks AC Cover

Akanimo Sampson

Re-Election Fever Hits Sylva, Seeks AC Cover

THE re-election fever appears to have caught up with Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, as the political waters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gradually becomes turbulent for him.

The battle for the Creek Haven in Yenagoa, the state capital, is becoming increasingly very tough even when President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to formally declare hios ambition for the titanic 2011 race.

Some Bayelsa political elite and power seekers, are alleged to be providing funds for massive recruitment of their political army for 2011. The recruitment and training process is believed to be taking forms that may not be immediately known by the security agencies.

Sylva does not appear to be finding the political waters of the PDP very comfortable for his re-election project. He is currently eyeing the opposition Action Congress (AC) for a possible shelter. Even that political platform might not be a safe haven for him.

AC leaders in Bayelsa do not appear to be seeing Governor Sylva as a political asset in 2011. As at Monday, AkanimoReports, an on-line news service, had it that there were signs of disbelief that Sylva and his loyalists were plotting to defect to AC ahead of preparations for 2011.

In a seeming political ambush, AC leaders have started to warn that there is no automatic ticket in the party in Bayelsa.

The governorship candidate of the Party in the 2007 election and the 2008 re-run elections, Mr. Ebitimi Angbare, is expressing caution over the guarded political whispers that Sylva and his loyalists have started to romance with AC behind-the-scenes.

Former member of the House of Representative and the Bayelsa East Senatorial flag bearer of AC in the 2007, Mr. Ebikekeme Ere, a governorship aspirant and leader of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in Lagos, Mr. Denzel Kentebe, and Chairman of the Party, Miriki Ebikibina, on Monday told our correspondent that they were yet to be approached formally by the governor and his foot soldiers on AC requirement for new members.

As at the weekend, there were pointers of a likely new realignment by some fractions in the PDP loyal to Sylva to dump the ruling party and defect to AC in a bid to secure its gubernatorial ticket for the 2011 poll.

Intelligence reports available to the political community in Yenagoa, tend to indicate that the alleged defection move was not unconnected with the perceived unsuitability of the on-going reforms of the PDP to the second bid of the governor and the power wielded by President Jonathan at the national level.

The defection move blew into the open, following a recent Sylva and Bola Tinubu parley which had others in attendance. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, and Senator, is a prominent leader of AC.

ENDS

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