2027: Ex-APC Deputy Guber Candidate Backs Tinubu’s Re-election

•Expresses fear over unresolved issues in Bayelsa 

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa                                            

Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023  elections in Bayelsa State, Joshua MacIver has declared his commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu next year.

However, MacIver, in a statement issued in Bayelsa, urged APC leaders in the state to look inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short the party’s victory in 2027.

According to MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.

He said: “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95 per cent to 5 per cent.”

“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, only the smaller bloc is being carried along in the affairs of the party, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.

“The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order. If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the state and National Assembly primaries as well the gubernatorial primaries,” he said.

While the APC is the party to beat in the 2027 elections, he urged the party to make haste because it cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in the unity of the party which will be exploited by other political interests in the state.

“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal,” he added.

MacIver also congratulated the newly elected state executives of the APC in Bayelsa State led by Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in the nation’s history.