There is rising mistrust and crisis of confidence within the fold of the All Progressive Congress (APC) campaign council over alleged cases of short payments and misappropriation of funds.
Sources confirmed that the state party chairman, Barr. Dennis Otiotio, who is at the center of the controversy, is accused of underpaying various party committees and party chieftains for campaign mobilisation.
A close source also claimed that the campaign mobilisation funds which have been 80 per cent released to the party chairman, Barr. Dennis Otiotio was not paid to the committees.
It was gathered that the former deputy governor, Rt.Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi was also a victim of the underpayment by the party chairman.
Ebebi, who was reportedly angered by the alleged withholding of some parts of his local government council campaign funds, nearly exchanged blows with the party chairman at the residence of the party’s disqualified governorship candidate in Yenagoa.
Also the former militant leader, Pastor Reuben Wilson, is angered by the ways and manner, campaign funds are being disbursed by the party chairman.
Already, the conduct of Barr. Dennis Otiotio has painted the APC and Chief Timipre Sylva in bad light before the media practitioners and the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bayelsa state.
Most of the practising journalists are being owed for advert and editorial works during the campaign.
When the State Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Samuel Numonengi intervened to resolve the rising complaint by journalists covering the APC campaigns, the embattled factional APC Chairman turned around to accuse the entire NUJ of supporting incubent Governor Douye Diri against Chief Timipre Sylva.
It was gathered that many of Sylva’s supporters are suspicious of the conduct of the party chairman, Barr. Dennis Otiotio.
The complaints and protests over the alleged crooked conduct of the party chairman has reportedly gotten to Chief Timipre Sylva.
While some party chieftains claim that the conduct of Barr. Dennis Otiotio showed a man not trusting the governorship aspiration of Chief Sylva and needed to make money for raining days, others claim the disqualified governorship candidate of the party, Sylva is cash strapped and deliberately pushing Barr. Otiotio to take the heat from party members.
Another source, however, claimed that Chief Sylva was openly shocked to discover a multi-million residence being built by Barr. Dennis Otiotio along the new GRA in Yenagoa, the state capital.
He was reported to have been marvelled at the level of opulence displayed by the party chairman.
Sylva was quoted to have been led to believe the various complaints and allegations levelled against the party chairman.
