From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Bayelsa, Governor Douye Diri, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are at daggers drawn over the status of defectors.
Diri had received some defectors from APC, Agrisaba in Nembe Local Government Area, led by Ebinabo Jumbo at the weekend with a warning that the people should not allow the APC to deceive them anymore.
He said apart from propaganda and blackmail, the party has nothing good to offer the state and the country in general.
Diri represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, applauded the defectors for their wise and courageous decision to come back to the PDP, which he described as their rightful home.
Jumbo had, in his remarks, said their decision to leave the APC was informed by Diri’s disposition towards the unity and development of the state.
According to him, in less than two years in office, the prosperity administration under Diri had shown genuine commitment to good governance through its people-oriented policies, programmes and development projects in an unbiased manner.
While carpeting the APC for not having direction and vision for Bayelsa, he said the defectors worked for the party for several years and have realized that the APC only thrives on deception, falsehood and propaganda.
“Your Excellency, I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that the APC has no vision for Bayelsa. They are so disorganised. In fact, they only thrive on falsehood, insincerity and nepotism.
“We can no longer stay in a party where its members have decided not to see anything good in the present administration. Personally, that is not the kind of politics I believe in.
“We have seen that the current leadership under Governor Diri has the interest of the ordinary people and not just big politicians and business men. We have seen that through his policies and programmes so far.
“We like to also place on record that the governor’s disposition to peace, unity and good governance is unprecedented in the state. We are also moved by his laudable achievements in the area of road infrastructure.
However, APC Chairman in the state, Dennis Otiotio-Odoni, dismissed the defection of Jumbo and others.
“For your information, the leader of the so-called APC defectors, Jumbo, has been a PDP member all his life, he was the legislative aid to Iniobio Obiene, the PDP Assembly member that represented Nembe constituency 3 from 2011 to 2019.
“He was appointed PDP unit agent in mini ward 11 during the 2019 general election and only approached the ward chairman of mini ward that he wants to decamp to APC immediately after the APC victory in the last governorship election, however, he jettisoned the idea after PDP’s victory at the Supreme Court,” he said.