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ALAIBE WITHDRAWS FROM BAYELSA GUBER RACE
The former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, on Wednesday withdrew from the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, citing party interest.
Alaibe formerly declared his decision to pull out of the rescheduled governorship primary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in a statement he signed at about 3:00am and entitled: “For the sake of our party, I withdraw from the APC governorship primary.”
Describing the decision as self-sacrifice, he said it was taken out of his desire to give APC deserved peace and unity ahead of the election.
Immediately the news of his withdrawal filtered into the state secretariat of the party at about 3:30am, there was jubilation among party faithful and delegates who gathered in large numbers and waited patiently for the primary.
The development has given the former Governor of the state, Timipre Sylva, a great chance to emerge as APC flag bearer for the election.
Alaibe said: “It is with all nostalgia that I recall the zeal, enthusiasm and hope with which thousands of Bayelsans made a statement in the direction of change in August 2015. I can also vividly recall a mental replay of the occasion wherein a qualitative representation of the leadership of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) ushered in respected leaders and members from their then party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“That singular event has been phenomenal just as its true meaning and direction have all exuded confidence, unity of purpose, cohesion, collectivism and courage. That day undoubtedly marked the beginning of a people’s journey from hopelessness and squandry as enunciated by the accidental PDP-led government in Bayelsa State to that of quality leadership that an APC government will represent.
“As one of such leaders who took that historic decision, I thought of giving a further bite to my burning desire to extricate the state from abysmal leadership failure. Therefore, my aspiration to be governor after series of consultations was to rekindle our collective hope and lift the state beyond its current state of decay under the PDP.
“Regardless, I am not oblivious of the fundamental fact that we all need a virile, united, cohesive and collaborative APC to bring about our desires to fruition. Not only do we need this, APC deserves every sacrifice, including personal interests, to arrive at the envisaged destination come February 2016.”
