Ahead of the Bayelsa State Governorship election, the Riverine Peace Initiative in Niger Delta(RPIND) has endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer in Bayelsa State, Hon. Timipre Sylva as the candidate to deliver in the upcoming election in the state.
Speaking, the National President of RPIND , Comrade Toluwa Mulade, disclosed that the group is ready to work for the former Minister of State for Petroleum to emerge as governor of the state to enable him bring back the lost glory of Bayelsa.
According to him, the state needs a proactive leader whose track records of outstanding performance is in the public glare and would not disappoint Bayelsans if elected as governor.
“We are ready to work for you to ensure you emerge as Governor of Bayelsa State. We have our strategies intact that would work out for your favour in the upcoming election,” he said.
“I never liked you as a person before now but from what I have heard about you of recent, coupled with your high level of humility, as you stepped into this venue and humbled yourself to kneel down before the almighty God, you have succeeded to renew my confidence that you are indeed a man to work for, yes, we are peace body but we know what to do when the need arise.
“When the 10 Turkish Nationals were kidnapped in Bayelsa’s River, RPIND was contacted and we swinged into action that helped their release without a ransom. As we speak, we wrote the present governor of the state to assist our group with operational vehicles or speed boat to enable us work. But, they never bothered to respond, are they telling me that if those 10 Turkish Nationals were killed by the kidnappers, will there be peace in the state? Won’t Turkish Government declare a battle with the State? So, hence they have shown that they are not in support of peace promoters. We are ready to work for you and ensure you emerge as Governor of this State.”
He presented 200 crates of bottled water on behalf of RPIND with the label of Hon. Timipre Sylva as part of the group’s contribution to reach the riverine people with the mantra of rescue Bayelsa State 2023.
Responding, Hon. (Chief) Timipre Sylva, commended the peace body for volunteering to work with his party to restore the lost glory of the State. He disclosed that it was not his ambition to contest for governor of the state again after serving for one term before but due to the clarion call from his people that they need him to recover the lost glory of Bayelsa, he has made up his mind to contest for the Governorship election.
The APC flagbearer noted that if elected as governor of the state, he will bring lasting solution to Bayelsa annual flooding which has become a stigma to the image of the State.
“I have a few things that I want to achieve if elected as Governor of Bayelsa State. One of the problems I see in our state, is that we never talked about finding lasting solution to the annual flooding that leave our people incapacitated for some period, when it comes and go, we return back to our normal lives and never discuss on how to reduce it or eradicate it, but I am coming to provide a lasting solution to this recurrent natural disaster.”
Recalling how he sent over 200 Bayelsa ICT inclined Youths to further their Technology prowess in India, while other youths were also sent to Russia to study Medicine and some to Thailand for tailoring, Hon. Sylva said they are all back and doing well in the state and he is ready to build on the already established legacies.
“This is another opportunity for us to do that again and working together as partners in progress, we can achieve that. We can make Bayelsa a great state again. I am very happy that we have partners who will always help to pass this message. When I was governor before, I thought my work will speak for me but I later realized that except people speak, your work will not be known.”
According to him, he is coming back as governor to revamp the economy of the State by attracting Agricultural Investors to Bayelsa that will be ready to promote the production of rice in a large quantity and provide lucrative job opportunities for the youth, men and women of Bayelsa.
“Appointing people in offices to me, there is no security in such job because you can be removed at anytime. We need sustainable job, but how do you create such jobs? We need to attract investors and investment to Bayelsa.
“The power to achieve that is sure and we have the capacity to stabilize power here because we have the gas. We need to invest in Agriculture, we have the best land to grow rice. We don’t need to channel dam. We can plant rice all year round,“ he said.
Speaking earlier, Barrister Omef Ogendegbe congratulated Chief Timipre Sylva on his emergence as the APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa and noted that the party made the best decision ever to nominate him for the election.
According to him, Hon. Sylva’s track records has made the job easier for his supporters as Bayelsa cannot afford to be in opposition in the state if they are ready to enjoy the dividend of the Federal led APC Government.
He assured the immediate past Minister of Petroleum for State the readiness of RPIND to help spread his rescue mission to all the creeks and communities in the eight local government areas of the state.
On his part, the Bayelsa State Coordinator, Comrade Eregiegha Kingsley, assured the APC Governorship candidate that the peace group headquarters is billed to move down to Bayelsa for the successful implementation of their mantra to market his candidacy to all indigenes and non indigenes of the state.
He said no doubt, since Hon. Slyva left office as governor, the state has drastically retrogressed to a zero level point and RPIND is ready to work assiduously to ensure the lost glory is restored with Timipre Sylva as Governor.
Members of the group presented their goodwill messages as the event was well attended by Bayelsa members and State coordinators representing their various states in Niger Delta.
Group endorses APC governorship flagbearer in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva
