From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to hold a mega rally of all defectors from the All Progressive Party (APC) and other parties to his fold on February 14.
The date of the rally coincides with the second anniversary of the government of Governor Douye Diri during which about 20 projects are expected to be inaugurated.
Special Adviser on Political Matters to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Collins Cocodia who disclosed this during an audience participatory programme on Glory FM, 97.1, in Yenagoa on Tuesday said many members of APC, have retraced their steps and joined the ruling party in the state.
According to him even APC members in the East Senatorial District, which had a majority of the opposition, have defected and are now in the PDP fold.
Cocodia stressed that he will not relent in his efforts to mop more persons to the PDP, so that the mega rally for the reception of all defectors, billed for the 14th of February, will be mega as expected.
On the reduced political tension between the major parties in the state, he attributed it to the political maturity of Diri who has made it clear that unity of all Bayelsans towards development of the state is more paramount to him.
He said now unlike before members of the two parties attend each other’s social function to demonstrate the political maturity which Governor Diri has enthroned in the state.
“Am sure Mr Governor will be quite impressed that Bayelsans can live the way we are living currently despite our party divisions and alignment. And to a large extent, we are friendlier than before; we are now more accommodating than before, I am talking of Bayelsans living together and you can see cross-pollination across party lines”.
“I pray this translates to elections where first we will see ourselves as one, outside the party divide and know that whoever God has chosen to lead at any particular time, is the person that has pleased God, and God has chosen that person”.
“And I think if we have that mindset, the struggle to occupy certain positions will be reduced to an extent”.
On what is making the defectors come back to PDP, Cocodia explained that many of them are seeing the achievements being recorded by the Diri administration.
“We have done well in terms of receiving defectors from all the council areas. Most of them are seeing the quiet achievements of the Miracle Governor and also his political maturity, and it’s attracting them back to the party”.
“Even in Southern Ijaw where those that left, felt that it will take a Southern Ijaw man to give them a central road, that if they have a Southern Ijaw Governor, that road will come to reality. But fortunately and unfortunately, a Kolga son, who is also from the Central, is very interested in that road. The road has already hit Angiama, and vehicles have started driving from Yenagoa to Angiama”.