APC attacks Jonathan over election comment

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has attacked former President Goodluck Jonathan over remarks he reportedly made about the Bayelsa APC chapter.

The former leader was quoted as saying that APC in Bayelsa did not have the political strength to win the state governorship poll scheduled for November 16.

He said the APC lacked presence at the ward, local government and state levels to win the coming election.

He reportedly made the statement during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders’ Advisory Council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa.

APC’s spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, however, described Jonathan as “a push and start President” who never won any election even in his home state of Bayelsa.

According to him, Mr Jonathan never contested any election and won.

“Former President Jonathan is attempting to rewrite history on presidential elections conducted under his watch in Bayelsa while he was president,” he told journalists in Abuja.

“He never won as votes never counted. Aided by security agents, election results were simply announced by the election body in favour of the PDP.

“Former President Jonathan even lost in his senatorial zone in the last 2019 National Assembly election won by the APC candidate. So one wonders the party Jonathan refers to as not being on the ground in Bayelsa,” he said.

Mr Nabena, a native of Bayelsa, alleged that the PDP and the outgoing Bayelsa Gov. Seriake Dickson were plotting to use the state security outfit “Operation Doo Akpo” to rig the election.

“The media will recall that under Gov. Seriake Dickson’s watch, 63 Smart Card Readers belonging to INEC were stolen and later retrieved.

“Also, I had earlier called on the Inspector General of Police to proscribe the state-controlled security outfit ‘Operation Doo Akpo’ following security reports indicating that the state government was plotting violence by flooding the state with arms ahead of the 2019 polls.

“That threat is still active as Bayelsa prepares for the governorship election,” the APC deputy spokesman said.

“The PDP has become very unpopular and stands rejected in Bayelsa, ” the Bayelsa-born APC chieftain said.

(NAN)