Former Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and ex-Bayelsa Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Reuben Okoya, says former President Goodluck Jonathan did not pressurise him to withdraw from the Bayelsa State governorship race.
Okoya, who recently withdrew from the governorship race on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, said on Wednesday in Yenagoa that he only bowed to party supremacy and loyalty to friendship.
Okoya, who is believed to be a close friend of Jonathan, also hinted during the media interaction that he withdrew from the contest when he read the writing on the wall that his party support was tilting towards the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson.
The foremost architect also used the platform to dismiss insinuations in some quarters that he abandoned the race because he was paid some money.
He stated, “Contrary to the story making the rounds that I was pressurised to withdraw by the former President Goodluck Jonathan or that I was paid money to step down for Governor Seriake Dickson, let it be known that I only respected the publicly stated desire of the party to give its ticket to the incumbent as the person best placed to secure victory for the PDP. I withdrew honourably.
“After due consultations with my teeming supporters and core advisers, I also decided to remain in the PDP to give my support to the party. I refused to defect to another party because of my principled belief and resolve to be a loyal and faithful party man.”
Okoya told his supporters that even though he was no longer directly in the governorship race, he would continue to work for the development of the state.
He promised to float a programme of charitable endeavour for all the people in the state.
Speaking on the forthcoming governorship election, Okoya said he was optimistic that the PDP would defeat it’s main rival in the state, the All Progressives Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment