The official flag off of Sylva/Igiri governorship campaign suffered a setback on Monday in Sagbama, Bayelsa State with the absence of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and other All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
Oshiomhole was the chairman of the first botched primary of the APC in the South-South state.
Due to threat to his life, he was spirited out of the venue of the primary by security agents.
During a press conference later, he accused Timipre Sylva of sponsoring terror and thuggery in the build up to the election.
Firing back, Sylva said he didn’t need Oshiomhole to win the party ticket, a counter move which analysts believe will cost Sylva and the APC the governorship seat on December 5.
Many APC chieftains have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to help the reelection of Governor Seriake Dickson
During the flagoff of the campaign, APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and his deputy (South-West), Chief Segun Oni, were the only notable figures in attendance.
Others were conspicuously absent.
It was earlier reported that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be leading the pack of party chieftains but the APC supporters were shocked to see only a handful of party officials.
This development, it is believed, is a confirmation that the party leaders are only paying a lip service to Sylva’s candidacy.
A source revealed that the leadership knows that Sylva cannot win the election but was only given the ticket to compensate him for his efforts in the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sylva at the occasion boasted before the paltry crowd that he had all it takes to win the election.
Majority of the local APC chiefs at the event went home disappointed.
