OPEN LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE AND THE APC STATE CHAIRMAN

OPEN LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE AND THE APC STATE CHAIRMAN

STOP TREATING OLD APC MEMBERS AS SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS IN A PARTY THEY SACRIFICED TO BUILD

On Fairness, Inclusion, Reconciliation, and Equitable Consideration of Appointment Slots in Ward 13, Opuama Kingdom, Southern Ijaw LGA

To:

His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, Executive Governor of Bayelsa State.

Right Honourable Warman Weri Ogoriba, State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State.

Your Excellency and Chairman Sir,

PREAMBLE: AN APPEAL FOR JUSTICE, NOT CONFRONTATION

My name is Chief Inko Brightstar, a proud son of Opuama Kingdom in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, a longstanding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and an executive member of Ward 13, Opuama.

I write with a deep sense of responsibility and concern over the perceived marginalisation of old APC members in our ward. This letter is not intended to undermine our leaders or oppose the integration of new members.

Rather, it is an appeal for fairness, consultation, reconciliation, and meaningful inclusion.

Political parties are built not only by those who join when circumstances become favourable, but also by those who remain committed during difficult times. Many of us defended the APC, mobilised support, and invested our time, resources, and energy in keeping the party alive.

We welcome the growth of the APC in Bayelsa State, but we believe that welcoming new members should not mean making longstanding members feel like strangers in their own political home.

We are not asking to be placed above others; we are simply asking not to be placed beneath them.

1. WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS SHOULD NOT MEAN DISPLACING OLD MEMBERS

When Your Excellency and other prominent political leaders moved from the PDP to the APC, many of us welcomed the development in good faith. We saw it as an opportunity to strengthen the party and build a united political family.

We expected old and new members to work together, respect one another's contributions, and enjoy a genuine sense of belonging.

Unfortunately, developments in Opuama Ward 13 have raised concerns among longstanding members about inadequate consultation and possible exclusion from important decisions.

Let me state clearly that we have no objection to new members receiving appointments or participating in party affairs. Our concern is that their arrival must not diminish the legitimate interests of those who have served the party over the years.

Political integration should unite us, not displace one group in favour of another.

2. APPOINTMENT SLOTS: A CALL FOR FAIRNESS

Your Excellency, there is information suggesting that 20 appointment slots may have been allocated to Ward 13. Although I have not independently verified the details, I believe it is important to raise the matter so that, if confirmed, the process will be transparent and inclusive.

Ward 13 has two broad political blocs: longstanding APC members and newer entrants. Both groups have their political histories, leaders, and legitimate interests.

For us in the old APC bloc, Honourable Joseph Ede Alakere remains our recognised political leader, someone we trust to represent our concerns and interests.

We equally recognise the right of new members to representation through their own leaders. Therefore, we appeal for a consultative process that gives both blocs a fair opportunity to be considered.

We are not demanding an automatic equal division of appointments, regardless of applicable rules or qualifications. We are asking that competence, commitment, fairness, and consultation guide the process, without deliberately excluding any group because of its political history.

Our loyalty should count, our competence should matter, and our contributions should not be forgotten.

3. HONOURABLE JOSEPH EDE ALAKERE MUST BE INCLUDED IN CONSULTATIONS

Your Excellency and Chairman Sir, representation is essential to genuine inclusion.

Honourable Joseph Ede Alakere is the political leader recognised by many of us in the old APC structure of Ward 13. We believe that he should be appropriately involved, alongside other recognised stakeholders, in decisions concerning appointments, party administration, and opportunities allocated to our ward.

We are not demanding that he exercise exclusive control over Ward 13. Rather, we insist that the interests of the bloc he represents should not be overlooked.

A truly inclusive process must accommodate different political interests and encourage cooperation among recognised leaders.

4. SOUTHERN IJAW CONSTITUENCY III ASSEMBLY TICKET: A NEED FOR RECONCILIATION

We are also concerned about the outcome of the APC primaries for the Southern Ijaw Constituency III House of Assembly seat.

Many of us who supported Honourable Joseph Ede Alakere considered him a credible and politically marketable aspirant who had remained committed to the APC through challenging periods.

Some members of our bloc believe that his political relationship with former Governor and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and his role in defending the APC during the 2023 governorship election may have affected the consideration given to his ambition.

We recognise that these concerns should be examined fairly and that political primaries naturally produce winners and disappointed aspirants. However, past political relationships and loyalty should not become permanent barriers to future participation.

We respectfully appeal to the state leadership to promote reconciliation, dialogue, and fair consideration of longstanding members in future political opportunities.

The APC must be a party where past disagreements can be resolved and where loyalty is not treated as a disadvantage.

5. TEN-MAN COMMITTEE EXERCISE: THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY

Another concern relates to the reported formation of ten-man committees across the various polling units in the state.

In Opuama (SILGA Ward 13), concerns have been raised that some longstanding APC members were not adequately informed or consulted during the compilation of the committee list. We have also received accounts suggesting that the exercise may have taken place privately at a hotel belonging to a new APC member without sufficient participation from the old APC bloc.

These reports require verification by the appropriate party authorities before any firm conclusion is reached.

If legitimate stakeholders were excluded, we respectfully request a review and necessary corrective measures. Committee formation should strengthen grassroots participation, not deepen existing divisions.

We appeal for proper communication, consultation through recognised party structures, and respect for the interests of all legitimate members.

6. OUR SACRIFICES AND LOYALTY DESERVE FAIR CONSIDERATION

Your Excellency and Chairman Sir, many old APC members invested their time, resources, and political goodwill in the party before its recent expansion. We defended its candidates and remained committed even when the political environment was unfavourable.

We did not make these sacrifices under a guarantee of appointments or political offices. We did so because we believed in the party.

Nevertheless, it is reasonable to expect that our commitment, experience, competence, and contributions will receive fair consideration.

We do not oppose the progress of new members. We oppose any arrangement that makes longstanding members feel irrelevant.

We do not seek domination; we seek participation. We do not demand privilege; we seek fairness. We do not oppose integration; we seek integration without exclusion.

7. POLITICAL LOYALTY AND THE TRANSIENCE OF POWER

Your Excellency, political power is temporary, and political circumstances inevitably change. Individuals who profess loyalty today may realign tomorrow when the centre of power shifts.

Considering that your tenure is scheduled to end on 14 February 2028, one may ask how it would feel if some individuals who presently profess unwavering loyalty were to abandon you immediately after your tenure solely because power had changed hands.

This reflection is not an argument against political realignment. Rather, it underscores the importance of sincerity, consistency, and mutual respect in political relationships.

Those who remained committed during difficult periods should not be disregarded simply because new political forces have joined the party.

The APC must demonstrate that loyalty is more than a slogan and that reconciliation does not require old members to surrender their legitimate place in the party.

8. OUR APPEALS TO THE GOVERNOR AND APC STATE CHAIRMAN

In the interest of peace, fairness, and unity, we respectfully request:

1. Fair consideration for the reported 20 appointment slots: If the allocation is confirmed, ensure a transparent and consultative process that gives qualified old and new members a fair opportunity.

2. Recognition of legitimate leadership: Ensure Honourable Joseph Ede Alakere and other recognised stakeholders are appropriately involved in decisions affecting Ward 13.

3. Review of the ten-man committee exercise: Verify the concerns raised and correct any established exclusion of legitimate stakeholders.

4. Reconciliation over the Constituency III ticket: Encourage dialogue and ensure that past political disagreements do not become permanent obstacles to future participation.

5. Stronger grassroots consultation: Respect recognised ward structures and create clear channels for all legitimate members to contribute to party decisions.

6. Recognition of past contributions: Give fair consideration to the service, competence, and loyalty of longstanding members alongside those of new entrants.

These requests are made in good faith. We believe timely intervention by the state leadership will prevent avoidable grievances and strengthen the APC at the grassroots.

CONCLUSION: WE DESERVE A PLACE IN THE PARTY WE HELPED TO BUILD

Your Excellency and Chairman Sir, I remain a committed member of the All Progressives Congress. Raising these concerns publicly is not an act of hostility but an appeal for justice, fairness, and responsible leadership.

We understand that appointments are limited and that no individual or group has an exclusive right to political opportunities. However, every legitimate member deserves a fair opportunity to participate and be considered without prejudice.

The old APC members of Ward 13 are not enemies of the new APC members. We are partners in the same political organisation, and our collective future depends on mutual respect and cooperation.

We welcome new members, but we also ask that our contributions be recognised. We respect the party leadership, but we expect our concerns to be heard.

We remain loyal to the APC, but loyalty should not be mistaken for weakness or taken as a reason to exclude us.

I refuse to be treated as a second-class citizen in a party I have sacrificed to build.

This is not a call for division; it is a call for justice, reconciliation, and a stronger APC. I sincerely appeal to Your Excellency and the APC State Chairman to engage the relevant stakeholders and take practical steps to address the concerns of old APC members in Opuama Ward 13.

History will remember not only how the APC expanded its membership, but also how it treated those who stood by the party before that expansion.

Let us build a party where old and new members enjoy dignity, where political differences are resolved through dialogue, and where commitment, competence, and fairness guide decisions.

Let the APC in Bayelsa State be a party of belonging, not exclusion; fairness, not favouritism; and reconciliation, not political displacement.

May God bless Opuama Kingdom.

May God bless Ward 13, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

May God bless Bayelsa State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

May God bless the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Signed:

Chief Inko Brightstar a.k.a. General Whoknows Tomorrow Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bayelsa State.