Leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State have called on the party’s national leadership to address what they described as longstanding neglect and unfair treatment of the chapter in past elections.
The demand was made during a solidarity walk held in Yenagoa in support of President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The rally, which drew national, zonal, state, and ward leaders, began at the Tombia end of the Melford Okilo Expressway and ended at Kpansia Secondary School.
Read Also: Bayelsa, Rivers governors tipped to join APC
Addressing the crowd, Pastor Reuben Wilson, convener of the rally and founder of the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA), accused the party’s national hierarchy of contributing to the setbacks faced by Bayelsa APC.
He recalled the governorship elections of 2019 and 2023, insisting that the party enjoyed grassroots popularity but was “robbed of victory” by decisions made outside the state.
“Bayelsa APC has suffered a lot. If the party at the centre is supreme and settles issues in other states, why is Bayelsa different? We have won elections twice and were denied. Today, we have become second-class citizens in our own state,” Wilson said.
He urged the party leadership to intervene urgently, warning that internal rifts and alleged sabotage by certain interests could further weaken the APC in Bayelsa.
Despite his grievances, Wilson commended the resilience of party members and praised President Tinubu for appointing Bayelsans into key ministerial and strategic positions.
He also acknowledged the efforts of State Chairman, Chief Dennis Otiotio, in keeping the party united and active.
Chief Otiotio, in his remarks, applauded the organisers of the solidarity march, stressing that President Tinubu’s administration had made notable commitments to the South-South.
These include work on the East-West Road, the Coastal Highway project, and progress on the Nembe-Brass Road and Brass Petrochemical initiatives.
Other stakeholders, including Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, Managing Director of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority, and former lawmaker Preye Oseke, also hailed the president’s policies, saying they had given states room to embark on major projects.
They called on Bayelsans to rally behind Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Director-General of PRIFGLA, Eseimokumo Soko, explained that the rally was staged to showcase the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta and to mobilise continued support for the president.
