Yekini Nabena, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday, described former Goodluck Jonathan as a “push and start president” who never won any election in his home state of Bayelsa.
Nabena stated this in reaction to remark credited to Jonathan that APC in Bayelsa State lacked political presence at the wards, local government and state levels to win the state governorship election slated for November 16.
Speaking during the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Elders’ Advisory Council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa, Jonathan had said a large number of governorship aspirants on the platform of the PDP indicated the dominance of the party as the preferred platform for election.
However, Nabena, while speaking with reporters in Abuja, cautioned Jonathan against making misguided comments.
Nabena said: “Jonathan is attempting to rewrite history on presidential elections conducted under his watch in Bayelsa state while he was president. 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 Goodluck 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 was referring to as not being on ground in Bayelsa state, he was a push and start president.
“The media will recall that under Governor 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 state prepares for the governorship election.
“It is clear that no amount of falsehood and rigging can stop PDP’s imminent defeat in the forthcoming governorship election. The PDP has become very unpopular and stands rejected in Bayelsa state.”
