SYLVA'S ATTITUDE LED TO OUR LOST - APC DEP. SCRIBE

Comrade Timi Frank is the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is one who believes truth must be told anytime no matter whose ox is
gored.

In this interview with Kenneth Azahan and Gena Lubem, he explained the factors that led to the defeat of the candidate of his
party, Timipre Sylva, in the last Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections.

Excerpts:

" Our candidate got it wrong when he never believed in peace. He never believed in dialogue. He felt that he was the candidate and he could do it alone but today the result is out, I said it clearly before and I stand by my words. I have no regret for what I have said. Before the elections, everybody saw how I made a statement that with our candidate, we will lose Bayelsa. It wasn’t a mistake. I am from Bayelsa. I know what the people of Bayelsa wanted but nobody listened to me. Again, this man came to power by hijacking the ticket, after getting the party ticket which I expected that he would embrace every person for peace. I can tell you clearly that since after the primary election in Bayelsa, that candidate never called for any discussion on reconciliation".

First of all, I want to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari for creating the enabling environment for the first time in the history of the state for the people to vote their choice. Since the creation of Bayelsa state, this is the only time people have voted.

This is because we have a president
who has assured Nigerians that elections under his administration will be free and fair.

It was one man one vote. And that has been demonstrated in the case of Bayelsa.

So I give the credit of the Bayelsa election to Mr. President.

No matter what must have
happened, to me, as one of the leaders of the party, whatever we must have done wrong; there is a parable that says he who fights and run away lives to fight another
day.

I believe we are going to correct our
wrongs in future elections in Bayelsa, my party should be able to take charge in the state.

So, we must try to get it right in the
areas we must have gotten it wrong.
This is my position on the outcome of the Bayelsa election.
I congratulate the security agencies
that despite the crises that we saw, they tried their best to manage the situation otherwise, it would have been deadlier than what we saw.

I also commend the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) for their conduct and the bold
decisions they took to conduct the
elections. The only appeal that I have for Mr. President and the security agencies is to make sure that those who perpetuated
violence must be brought to book no matter which party they are coming from; whether they are form the APC or the PDP.

Whosoever was involved in bringing about violence in Bayelsa should be brought to justice. This is my personal appeal to Mr President.

It is not because we loss so we
should be crying. For God’s sake I should have expected my governorship candidate to accept the situation.

If he does not accept it, he should approach the courts which he said clearly that he was going to do.

That is the right thing to do so there is no need to complain. We are in Nigeria. We saw how the former President congratulated President
Muhamadu Buhari when he lost. So, it is good democratic progress for us as Nigerians.

To me the right thing to do even
as my party has lost is to congratulate the opposition then look for the next step to take as a party.

I don’t think he should be accusing the INEC of collaborating with PDP to rig the election.

We are the ruling party in this country as of today and if INEC fails, it means our government has failed and so forth. And we are very sure that the President is a man of his words and he promised that there will be free and fair elections under his administration.

Prior to the Election, there was an internal crises in the party. So
many people within the party were not happy at the state level. Some of them don’t have the guts like me to come up and say that things are wrong and we must get it right.

Some were bearing the pains internally but they couldn’t speak. But I took the bull by the horn and said I don’t care whatever would happen to me.

I have always been a fearless person. It is only God that gives
power. If today because of I am speaking the truth or standing on the side of the people my party would choose to expel me or suspend me, so be it.

I will have no regret if I lose my position in the party today. If
you think you are in power today and would use it to oppress me, I simply know that you are not God.

I just believe in the almighty God who created every one of us. Nobody can stop my destiny. If God says I am going to be anything in this life no man can stop me.

My hope in life is in the hands of God not in the hands of any leader or anybody. I can only respect my leader and those that are in power but I will not fear anybody. I will speak out when it is necessary. I will
speak the truth. I will stand by the masses and the people because the people are my strength. And you know, as it is always said, one with God is majority.

That has always been my position at all times. "Our candidate got it wrong when he never believed in peace. He never believed in dialogue. He felt that he was the candidate and he could do it alone but today the result is out".

To me he shouldn’t be crying foul. If
he thinks he can get from the court, I wish him the best. But it is very painful that we lost Bayelsa as a party because I meant well when I wanted the party had projected a
candidate that is sellable to the people; we wouldn’t have been crying.

But today, look at the outcome of things we are complaining about.
To me, we should be praying and preparing for future elections. God has given us a visionary leader in President so we should pray for our president; we should pray for our country; we should pray for our party and we should pray for Nigerians to make sure that God will always stand by us at all times.