The All Progressive Congress, APC, had a big harvest in Bayelsa state today as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd), the former Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe and other prominent politicians and their supporters numbering over 1,500 defected to the APC.
An overwhelmed national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who received the new members today at the Samson Siasia sports complex, Yenagoa said with the calibre of defectors into the party from the PDP in Bayelsa state signalled that the PDP is now an empty shell under the leadership of Governor Seriake Dickson.
Receiving the former key supporters of former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, in his home state, Oyegun said the defection of PDP bigwigs is unique and the PDP is an empty shell.
“Who is left in the PDP? Nobody. The people in Bayelsa is making history for the South South zone. The APC leaders in Bayelsa state are very loyal and fought gallantly against the false claim that “He is our own”, (alluding to former President Jonathan).
Oyegun who led national officials of the APC including the deputy national chairman and former Ekiti governor, Olusegun Oni he said: “When they overcame such false campaign, their eyes opened and they saw recklessness, under performance and failure. It was only Edo that survived their onslaught. Can we allow ourselves to loose out? When we vote, we bring back Bayelsa to the mainstream of politics.”
The APC National chairman who handed over the Broom symbol of the party to the defecting members said the APC is not a party for sharing money but party posterity.
In his remark, the State APC leader and former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, said he was overjoyed by the defection of his brothers and sisters of like minds who have reunited under APC.
“We have had too much division and the division was created by parochial people. As we come together, we have seen enough of division.”
Sylva lashed at the administration of the PDP in the state, noting that, it had witnessed blood and sorrow including increased cases of political killings. “Sea pirates have taken over the creeks and waterways. They claim, they will provide us security. But we told them to provide security to the people of the state. The era of prosperity have come. Poverty will soon go away.”
“The PDP has been decapitated at the national level. Development was not brought to us during their time in office. The East-West road was abandoned. If they claim we should vote for the PDP, they should show us the roads they built. If they can not show us, they should vote for APC.”
On his part, the former Managing Director of the NDDC, Chief Timi Alaibe said the defection of notable members of the PDP shows that the needed Change has come to the state. “This is common sense revolution. It is not change for the sake of it. We are changing from poverty to prosperity. We are changing from lies and deceit. We are changing from “Wayo”. A state as rich as Bayelsa can not tolerate poverty. It is not our portion that our streets show poverty. How can one provide oil and gas and not benefit from it. Change has come to Bayelsa.”
The Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa, Col. Sam Inokoba who abandoned the party for APC, said the PDP administration under the leadership of the Governor Seriake Dickson has witnessed misrule and have abandoned good governance. “The labour of our fore fathers have been rubbished. Bayelsa restoration has become a retrogression. Bayelsa PDP has become a Fuji House of Commotion. Instead of development, we have witnessed disrespect to the elders in the state.”
Reacting to the defection of the PDP Chairman, the Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Osom Makbere, said though his defection is of no effect to the party, “it is good riddance to bad rubbish. We knew, before now, that he was working for the opposition party and that is why we insisted that he will not be returned as the State Chairman of our party. It is not a surprise to us.”
Among those who defected are Mr Wenirepe Seibarogu, a former Deputy Governor and Senator Heineken Lokpobri and others.
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