David Lyon, a former Bayelsa Governor-elect, has purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination forms at the cost of N50 million to re-contest the governorship election.

Marlin Danier led other Bayelsa APC stakeholders to the party’s national secretariat on Friday in Abuja to pick up the forms on Mr Lyon’s behalf.

Mr Danier, who was the pioneer secretary of APC Bayelsa chapter, urged the party’s leadership to grant him the right of first refusal.

This, he said, should be in appreciation of Mr Lyon’s past success at the poll in 2020 before he was eventually sacked by the Supreme Court.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgement by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili, held that Degi-Eremieoyo, Mr Lyon’s running mate, presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The judgement followed an appeal filed by Douye Diri, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship candidate and his running mate, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo.

Mr Danier said it was unfortunate that Mr Lyon  was denied the opportunity of rescuing the state as its governor.

“Today we are presenting our principal, Chief David Lyon, a household name in Bayelsa and this country, a young man that gallantly fought a very colossus governor and won.

“Today we are back here to get the APC expression of interest and nomination forms for him to go back and recontest the coming state governorship election.

“Ordinarily, and under normal circumstances, he is supposed to be given the right of first refusal by the party. Sales of forms are not supposed to be made open,” he said.

This, according to Mr Danier, is especially because Mr Lyon is the only person that can win Bayelsa governorship election for the APC, adding that he had been tested, tried and trusted.

“As I talk to you, everyday, the PDP-led administration in Bayelsa is inviting pastors and imams from different quarters to pray that David Lyon will not become APC governorship candidate.

“He is their nightmare, they are comfortable with every other person, but not with Lyon.

“I can confidently and categorically tell the world that if David Lyon is given the APC governorship ticket to represent it in the election, more than half of PDP members will come back to the APC,” he said.

He urged APC national leadership to ensure a level playing ground for all contestants should there be other contestants to avoid going to court after the primary.

Also speaking, Dr Stella Dorgu, Member, House of Representatives 7th Assembly assured that with Mr Lyon on the ballot, APC would win Bayelsa.

She, however, said there was a need for a rigorous campaign by all the party’s members in the state.

“He is the one we know that will bring the trajectory of development to where every Bayelsa residence wants it to be,” she said.

The APC had announced that the Bayelsa governorship primary election will be held on Monday, April 10 while the Congress to ratify the results of Imo and Bayelsa governorship primaries would take place on April 11.

The 2023 Bayelsa governorship election will take place on Nov. 11, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The state incumbent PDP governor Douye Diri is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so.

(NAN)