… Alleges Lopsided Leadership

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State and the party’s 2023 deputy governorship candidate, Great Joshua MacIver, has raised concerns over the party’s internal structure, warning that perceived marginalisation within its ranks could trigger further defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Yenagoa, MacIver congratulated the newly elected State Chairman, Hon. Warman Ogoriba, and members of the state executive committee on the successful conduct of the party’s congress. However, he drew attention to what he described as a “dangerous imbalance” in the party’s power-sharing arrangement.

MacIver, who was the running mate to Chief Timipre Sylva in the last governorship election, recalled that before the defection of Governor Douye Diri to the APC, the party consisted of two major blocs, with an estimated population ratio of 95 per cent to five per cent.

He alleged that since the governor’s entry into the party, the smaller bloc has been favoured in party affairs, leaving the larger group feeling sidelined.

According to him, “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 standing at 95 per cent to five per cent. After his entrance, only the smaller bloc is being carried along, leaving the larger percentage alienated.

“This situation has the potential to breed anger and dissatisfaction within the party. The consequence has been the level of defections witnessed recently, and if not addressed, the party risks losing key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly primaries as well as the governorship primaries.”

While maintaining that the APC remains the party to beat in 2027, MacIver reaffirmed his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid and urged party leaders to address internal grievances.

He cautioned that unresolved disunity within the party could be exploited by opposition forces, stressing the need for cohesion to achieve electoral success.

“We cannot afford to create loopholes in our unity that could be exploited by other political interests in the state,” he said.

“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we are fully committed. However, we must look inwards and ensure that internal issues do not undermine our collective goal,” he added.