Sylva: APC Train On Course In Bayelsa

…Denies Group's Claim
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 30, (THEWILL) â€' The former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, who is now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , has declared that the party is fully on ground in the state.

He made the declaration on Wednesday as he denied any relationship with a group calling itself the Ex-Bayelsa Government Officials Forum (EBGOF), which recently claimed that it had left Sylva and APC and declared support for President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, the former governor said: 'The attention of the former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, has been drawn to a deceptive media campaign claiming that a strange group named Ex-Bayelsa Government Officials Forum (EBGOF), had left Sylva and All Progressives Congress(APC), and declared support for President Goodluck Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

'The group made spurious and mythical allegations about the former governor's failure to consult them before moving to APC as their grouse for the seeming about-face.

'Sylva wishes to make it clear that the said members of EBGOF were never members of APC in Bayelsa State â€' as they even confirmed in their own letter.'

The statement said 'In the APC equation, in particular, and in the politics of Bayelsa State and Nigeria, in general, the group is of no consequence â€' collectively and severally.'

It further maintained that 'The reference to Sylva in the said letter by the group was in very poor taste, as they have been on their own since he left office on 27 January 2012,' adding 'It is, therefore, immoral to claim association with him in order to curry favour with whomever they wish.'

The statement said further: 'As a democrat, Sylva believes it is the right of every individual to decide whom to associate or not to associate with. He is, however, not disturbed by a media blitz around a formal announcement by a few individuals whose political inclinations are common knowledge even since the time he was governor of Bayelsa State.

'Sylva is a politician who believes in principle even in the face of relentless persecution by the government of the day. The APC, which he leads in Bayelsa State, has maintained a consistently increasing followership, despite the antiques and jitters of Abuja and their proxies in the state.

'We know for a fact that huge inducements are at play here and that arrangements have been concluded for a solidarity visit to the mastermind of this so-called disassociation from Sylva. 'For the avoidance of doubt, the APC train is on a steady course in Bayelsa State, and no propaganda can derail it.'