Former Governor of Bayelsa state and candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the upcoming gubernatorial election in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, has debunked claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that he is a violent person.
He made this known in an interview with The Nation published on Sunday, where he also answered questions on a wide range of issues about his candidacy, his past performance as governor and his plans for the state if elected.
Sylva also revealed that his major opponent in the December 5 election, incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson, tried but failed to join the APC.
Sylva said: “You see they always say that the cat wanted the apple and he jumped to catch the apple and couldn’t get the apple, then he consoled himself by saying ‘rotten apple’ and then he walks away. That is his only compensation because he just couldn’t get it.
Now, let me tell you that even the outgoing governor did everything to join the APC. But you know the APC is not for people like him. The APC is not for bullies, Pharaohs and Emperors and so unfortunately we didn’t accept him and now he is saying rotten apple because he couldn’t get in. Maybe if he had gotten in, he would be saying by now that the APC is the greatest party. The APC cannot be a violent party, look at the streets today, just a few days, he himself instructed people to go out there and tear down my posters. Everywhere you go my posters are on the ground as if tearing posters means winning election.
All the cases of violence have been perpetrated by the PDP. APC members have been violated in most wards, injured sometimes and we have to go out in our campaigns with extra security because of security threats.
I fought militancy. On the contrary the outgoing governor is the violent one who perpetrates violence, supports it and, sponsors it.
Every lawful tactics to remove him out of office will be used by the APC and of course Bayelsans cannot possibly take another four years of Dickson’s ineptitude. So he continues to blame the APC for everything.”