‘Let’s look inwards’ — Keyamo blames APC for Bayelsa loss

Festus Keyamo, minister of state for labour and employment, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to look inwards over the loss of some states to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In 2019, the ruling party lost Zamfara and Rivers to the PDP due to internal crisis.

In the case of Zamfara, the APC contested and won elections but the supreme court annulled the party’s victory in the house of reps, senate, state assembly and governorship on the grounds that it did not hold valid primaries.

On Thursday, the victory of the APC was also cancelled in Bayelsa after the supreme court held that Biobarakuma Degi-Eriemienyo, running mate to David Lyon, the APC guber candidate, presented forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the party, had kicked against the ruling, saying there were attempt to foist a less popular candidate on the people of Bayelsa.

He subsequently said his party had agreed to seek legal redress over the issue.

But Keyamo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), toed a different line, asking the party to examine its internal mechanism.

“The S/Court has been firm & resolute so far regarding pre-election cases & Election Petitions. I commend their lordship. As a party, we have to look at our own internal mechanisms that make us give our victories needlessly away to the opposition & take appropriate actions,” Keyamo wrote on Twitter.

The S/Court has been firm & resolute so far regarding pre-election cases & Election Petitions. I commend their lordships. As a party, we have to look at our own internal party mechanisms that make us give our victories needlessly away to the opposition & take appropriate actions

— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) February 14, 2020

Douye Diri of the PDP has been sworn in as the fifth civilian governor of Bayelsa.