Bayelsa Guber: Youths Group Carpets Sonny-Goli for Dumping Sylva

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Youths group under the auspices of Bayelsa New Generation Leaders (BNGL) have carpeted a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, for attacking the candidacy of his principal and benefactor, Mr. Timipre Sylva, ahead of the November 11 governorship poll in the state.

Sunny-Goli, a core loyalist of Sylva for more than 20 years, announced on Thursday that he had quit Sylva’s campaign train.

The immediate past member representing Nembe-Brass Federal Constituency said at a news conference in Yenagoa that åSylva, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked structure and capacity to win elections let alone defeat Governor Douye Diri, the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Calling the bluff of Sunny-Goli, the BNLG said that the ex-federal lawmaker misrepresented facts because for nine years, he had resided in Abuja and lost touch with the vast majority of ‘Bayelsans’ struggling with poverty in a state blessed with abundant wealth and resources.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the Director General of BNLG, Mr. Bodmas Prince Kemepadei, lambasted Sunny-Goli’s projection, claiming that his “unfortunate” statement was built on falsehood, malice, belly-aching and did not reflect the true political atmosphere in the state.

Kemepadei asserted that the absence of Sunny-Goli in the state’s affairs and the inaccessibility to his constituents he once represented became evident in his last political outing that he lost woefully and should not blame Sylva for his political woes.

He noted that Sunny-Goli remained a respected personality in the state but failed to seek advice and opinions from the majority of Bayelsa youths before his recent outbursts, which were a figment of his own imagination and did not in any way portray the yearnings of Bayelsans.

Kemepadei said: “We understand that Sunny-Goli, who is a respected personality, is pained owing to certain factors yet to be reconciled. We wish to unequivocally state that on this issue, he remains a loner. Fortunately for Bayelsans, the majority of us are not in tandem with the position he has taken. We are solidly behind the candidature of Mr. Timipre Sylva.

“We equally understand that the PDP’s administration in the state has been lobbying APC’s chieftains with juicy contracts and political appointments in a bid to sway their support. This will not in any way deter our cause for a better Bayelsa with Mr. Timipre Sylva and Mr. Joshua Maciver pair in the forthcoming poll.

“To further reaffirm our support, we have chosen to hold a 1,000-man solidarity walk to prove to naysayers that we are determined in our quest for a better Bayelsa governed by Sylva.

“In our estimation, Sylva will win comfortably in five out of the eight local government areas in the state. In the Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of the incumbent governor, we are sure of 35 per cent votes.

“The people of Kolokuma/Opokuma are still backward despite having an incumbent governor, the hometown of their heroes, the likes of late Major Isaac Adaka Boro and late Sam Owonaro as the council stinks of poverty and underdevelopment.

“Apart from Igbedi, the home town of his wife and Sampou, his own community, where else in KOLGA has any sign of development? The majority of the youths are in despair and Douye Diri will certainly not earn their support for a second term.”

“November 11, 2023 will be solidarity for solidarity; Bayelsans will stand with Timipre Sylva and put an end to nepotism and bad governance in Bayelsa.”