Bayelsa APC gov aspirant rejects primary result, vows to seek redress

Festus Daumiebi, an aggrieved governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, has rejected the outcome of the party’s primary election for the November 11 governorship poll. The primary, conducted on Friday and Saturday, produced former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva as the APC candidate after he defeated Daumiebi and four other contenders. Major‑Gen. Ahmed Jibrin, chairman of the APC primary election committee, announced Sylva’s victory at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa on Saturday. Sylva secured 52,061 votes, while former militant leader Joshua Maciver came second with 2,078 votes. The 2019 APC governorship candidate, David Lyon, placed third with 1,584 votes; Prof. Ongoebi Etebu, Isikima Johnson, and Daumiebi received 1,277, 584, and 557 votes respectively.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Yenagoa, Daumiebi rejected the result and demanded the cancellation of the primaries. He claimed that the election did not take place in the wards across the state because party officials who were supposed to conduct the exercise failed to appear, and no electoral materials were found. “Notice is hereby given to the general public, particularly the APC in Bayelsa State and the National Executive Council, that I, Festus Daumiebi Sunday, governorship aspirant of the APC, do reject in its entirety what was announced as the result of the party primary election,” he wrote.

Daumiebi alleged that on Friday, April 14, 2023, some card‑carrying members of the APC turned out at various wards to cast their votes in what was promised to be a free, fair, and credible primary. “They waited all day but, sadly, there was no election in the wards across the state as officials of the party who were sent to conduct the election failed to turn up. Neither were their electoral materials seen in the said wards,” he said. He added that in selected places a “simulation of an election” was attempted, describing the process as undermined, marred by irregularities, and heavily compromised. Party officials, he claimed, failed to abide by party guidelines and agreed processes.

Upon reaching the party secretariat on Saturday, April 15, Daumiebi said he was shocked to observe that “heavy numbers have been concocted for their preferred aspirant and then a return was made in the open as programmed.” While urging his supporters to remain calm, he announced his intention to challenge the primary outcome legally. “Nevertheless, let me express my profound appreciation to all those who worked tirelessly for the new Bayelsa project. Though you were deprived of the opportunity to vote, do not despair. I urge you to remain calm and law‑abiding as we shall explore all legal means to challenge the outcome.”