The Bayelsa State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party suffered a major blow on Friday as some of its heavyweights defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Prominent among the defectors were a two-time member of the House of Representatives, Chief Warman Ogoriba and some former aides of Governor Seriake Dickson.
Those who also dumped the PDP were former commissioners in the state: Charles Opuola, Nelson Belief, Sylvanus Abila, and Ayiba Nelson.
Others are Adolphus Ofongo, Lucky Yeboah, Romeo Ebizimor, Williams Ofoni, John Ebikake and Moses Tariebe, among others.
The defectors were received by prominent APC chieftains at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa including former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva; former Acting governors Nestor Binabo and Werinipre Seibarugu; Ambassador Felix Oboro, state Chairman of APC, Tiwei Orunimighe; his deputy, Eddy Julius; Secretary, Marlin Daniel and Publicity Secretary, Panebi Fortune, among others.
Sounding confident, Sylva said APC would come February 14, 2016, occupy the state Government House, Yenagoa, as the ruling party.
According to him, the PDP is dead in Bayelsa State and the people are only waiting for its funeral, which he said will come soon.
Urging all members of the APC to unite, the former governor said, “The party is a sweet family. The message is that all of us should come together and form one big family. The dirt on Yenagoa and Bayelsa will be swept off by the APC and thrown into Opuabadi (sea)”.
“The APC ship has started sailing and everybody is welcome. It is the ship of unity and if you don’t get inside, you will be marooned. As for the PDP, do not make any mistake; the party is dead. This Dickson’s government is dead. It is only waiting for its funeral”, he added.
In his welcome address, the state APC chairman said he had earlier predicted that the party would form the next government.
He described the Dickson government as unfriendly and deceitful, questioning the rationale behind the government’s move to reconstitute the Bayelsa volunteers.
“Dickson has been there since, but he did not talk about Bayelsa volunteer. Now that he wants re-election, he started constituting the volunteers. Don’t be deceived”, he said.
Referring to the APC as the only platform available in the state, Oruminighe said the party would eliminate the existing classification of the people into core and fake Ijaw, and assured the new members of a level-playing field, adding that all the privileges available to old members would also extend to them.
He, however, warned that the supremacy of the party must be upheld at all times.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Ogoriba said the APC is the light while the PDP represents darkness.
He slammed the government of the PDP in the state, saying it was based on falsehoods and too many talks without action.
According to him, the Dickson-led government has ridiculed the people of the state by building a “monkey bridge and walkway” in the name of a flyover.
Ogoriba taunted the PDP, saying while it claimed to be unperturbed by the defection of its members, its leadership was busy calling defectors at night for reconciliation.
“The APC is a sweet party and we are happy we have been accepted into it. We will subject ourselves to all the authority of the party. We have not come with any ambition. We have come to strengthen the party. With our presence here, the PDP has murdered sleep”, he said.
this is the wind of change. apc………..