Why Bayelsa PDP Chairman, Over 1100 Others Defect To APC
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state, Colonel Sam Inokoba (rtd.), the former director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, and over 1,100 party leaders left the PDP for the APC on Saturday, April 15.
Speaking at a political rally at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Mr Inokoba explained why they decided to cross over to the APC.
According to him, the PDP-led state government has derailed from its original objectives. They reportedly were disenchanted with the leadership style of Governor Seriake Dickson who has allegedly abandoned the tenets of good governance.
“People of like mind have decided to their own destiny into their hands because of misrule by a leader who has completely abandoned good governance. We call for change in Bayelsa today because Bayelsa the glory of all lands has now become fuji house of commotion. The government of restoration has become government of retrogression.
“It is unacceptable to have dictatorship been practised in a typical democratic dispensation. Our action today is to sustain the legacy of our founding fathers for the good of our future generation. The multiple abandoned projects in the states has made us also conclude that APc is the change we need,” he stated.
Alaibe also mentioned that PDP was bedeviled by endless intra-party squabbles and manipulations by the PDP governor.
He together with his followers from 105 wards in the state who joined the APC urged the Bayelsa people to shun their qualms and embrace change.
Timi Alaibe, however, said he joined the APC not for the sake of change but to steer the state from poverty to prosperity.
“People say change is constant but not for the sake of it. We are changing from poverty to prosperity. We are changing from intimidation, from manipulation, we are changing from wayo. A state like Bayelsa, an oil producing state cannot tolerate poverty.
“All over Bayelsa, there is poverty, abi dem curse us? How can we produce oil and scholarship payments are not made, no desk and benches in schools, all that must stop because change has come to Bayelsa state.
“We believe and we want to make that commitment that all the leaders gathered her today signify the grassroots politics of Bayelsa state are changing to the APC under the leadership of Timipre Silva. We believe that February 28 is a forgone conclusion, creek heaven is our portion. We will sweep PDP away,” Alaibe charged.
He said that a state as endowed as Bayelsa had no business with poverty. Mr. Alaibe regretted that the state had not benefitted from its natural endowments and pledged to work to install an APC government.
During the ceremony of receiving APC’s new members, brooms were handed over to Mr. Inokoba, Mr. Alaibe, Heineken Lokpobiri, Jonathan Omu, Nestor Binabo, Gideon Okiwe, Major Andrew Oputa (rtd.), and Charity Bolaragbo, amongst others.
