APC optimistic about winning guber poll

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Timi Frank, on Thursday expressed optimism that the party would win the outstanding governorship election in Bayelsa whenever it held.

Frank said this in an interaction with newsmen in Abuja.

"We must have lost in the other six local governments as at now but we are still hopeful that if we come together as a party, we will win; we still have a good chance to win.

"I can tell you clearly that the only reason why we even lost in the local governments was, because before today I made it very clear that there were internal crisis in Bayelsa.

"Till today, our governorship candidate after the primary has not spoken to me; up till today there are so many people aggrieved in the party.

"But again, there are so many who do not have the guts to speak out, and that is why we lost in those areas.

"If we came together as one, if we had united ourselves before the election and every member was happy, what happened in Bayelsa would not have happened.

"We are still hopeful that if we go back, I pray that candidate himself will correct whatever loopholes or mistakes he must have must made, we will overcome our challenges,’’ Frank said.

He expressed hope that at the supplementary election, the votes in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, where the election was cancelled, would go to the APC.

On Kogi election and attendant issues, Frank said: "we were not prepared for what happened in Kogi state.

"As a party, we had to take a decision; even if the party takes XYZ as candidate, people will still go to court; people will still be aggrieved, so we cannot be stagnant as a party.

"We had to come up with a decision; whatever decision we have taken we consulted widely.

"We spoke to the people of Kogi; as a party we have taken a position, it is left for the aggrieved to challenge it in the court of law.

"Whatever the outcome maybe, we respect the rule of law; whatever the judiciary comes out to say, as a party I think we will abide by it.’’

On allegation that APC was not carrying women along in its programmes, especially appointments, as the past administration, Frank said he was disappointed but that there were more appointments in the offing.

"I believe that the president knows the impact of the Nigerian youths; he knows the impact of the Nigerian women.

"We have so many offices still there; so, I won't criticise the president for now until we see who our board members are; who will be the board chairmen that would head the parastatals and so forth.

"Let's give the president the benefit of doubt to see if at the end of the day the youths are not taken along and the women forgotten.

"Then, at that point in time I am not going to keep quiet in spite of the fact that I am in the party; everybody knows who I am, I am going to speak out.

"The president must have learnt from the reaction over his recent appointments, the ministerial appointments but again, I can tell you clearly, let's not be disappointed now,’’ he said.

Frank expressed hope that the N500 billion in the 2016 budget would be able to sustain the feeding of school children and the N5,000 promised vulnerable Nigerians before elections.

"I can tell you very clearly that for the president to come out with this kind of budget he has committed himself.

"He is trying to keep his promises and is also trying to see how he can turn things around to ensure the promises come to pass.

"He has competent hands. You can see he has been travelling from one country to another looking for solutions to the problems in our country.

"It is not going to be an issue because at the end of the day he has a team; his team can deliver and they are going to look for a means of sourcing these funds that he has promised Nigerians.

"We’re going to appeal to Nigerians to give him the opportunity to see how he is going to achieve whatever he must have said. Let's just give him a chance and be hopeful that he keeps his word,’’ he said.