APC reconciliation committee meets Sylva, Lyon, over lingering crisis

Abuja—The National Reconciliation Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has met with leaders of the party in Bayelsa State, Naija Live TV reports.

It was gathered that the meeting was called because of the lingering leadership crisis, court cases against the newly elected State Executive Committee members and threats of massive defection into the ruling PDP in the state.

The meeting which took place over the weekend In Aso Rock, Abuja, had in attendance the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, the party’s candidate in the 2019 governorship election, Chief David Lyon, among other stakeholders.

A former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri was however absent due to unexplained reasons.

Leader of the National Reconciliation Committee and former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in his remarks at the meeting assured those present of a fair analysis of issues involved.

It was resolved at the meeting that the leader of the party in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, should convene a meeting of stakeholders in the state.

Chief David Lyon was mandated to host the meeting, which will see the resolution of issues raised in a petition within seven days.

“The National Secretariat of the APC cannot take the risk of inviting delegates that have pending court cases to attend the National Convention.

“And that appears to be a ploy of the PDP to fault the National convention of the party by using invalid delegates.

“The names submitted and their emergence as executive members of the party do not represent the collective interest of the stakeholders.

“And if not properly looked into, it may result into a massive defection and loss of delegates from Bayelsa at the National convention,” an anonymous source present at the meeting said.

Meanwhile, a group, Grassroots Mobilizer Forum of the All Progressives Congress led by Elder Ndutimi Komonibo, Chairman, Barr. Dallas Ebibi, Secretary-General and Reuben Wilson, Vice-Chairman, has urged the reconciliation committee to insist on convening the stakeholders’ meeting as a matter of urgency to review the ward, local government and state congresses of the party in Bayelsa State.

The group which made this known in a statement called for the attendance of Chief David Lyon, Sen. Lokpobiri and one stakeholder from each senatorial district at the reconciliation meeting.

According to the group, “INEC should be properly communicated on a new date to properly monitor or the review of the ward and local government congresses to give it a legal backing.

“Recommendations should be made by the reconciliation committee to the National Caretaker Committee of our great party for the approval of an emergency unity rally in Bayelsa in order to bring all aggrieved factions together.”