Over 2000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) publicly renounced their membership of the party in Bayelsa state, home of former President Goodluck Jonathan and declared for the All Progressive Congress (APC) before a mammoth crowd.
A surprise package, which excited the enthused crowd that witnessed the historic defections at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex Yenagoa, was the unveiling of the state Chairman of PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd) as a member of the APC.
The state, especially Yenagoa, the capital, was locked down as most residents abandoned their homes and trekked to the stadium to partake in the carnival-like event.
The stadium and its surroundings were filled with party faithful who shoved and elbowed one another to catch a glimpse of the event.
The entire place echoed with the slogans of “change” and “sai Buhari” by party enthusiasts who generously clinched their brooms, the symbol of the APC.
Though the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, was not at the occasion, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC led by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, was fully represented.
A former Governor of the state and the state’s leader of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva and members of the State Working Committee (SWC) led by the party’s state Chairman, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, were also at the event.
Top PDP leaders, former members of the National Assembly, former commissioners and many other former political office holders took to the stage to give reasons why the dumped the their party for the APC.
Some of the PDP stalwarts who led other members of their old party to APC are Timi Alaibe, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, former acting governors, Chief Werinipre Sebarugu and Chief Nestor Binabo; Senator John Brambraifa, Maj. Andrew Oputa (retd), Christopher Milky, Alex Ekiotene, Christopher Enai, Dr. Stella Dorgu and Mathew Karimu.
Oyegun who was elated at what he described as an earthquake, paid tributes to Sylva through whom he said the ship of APC berthed not just in the state but also in the country.
He told the people that they had made history adding that among all the defection rallies he had attended the event of the state was second to none.
“This is the first time a party is totally decapitated. The chairman of the PDP who represents the head of the party has left and the PDP is now headless. Anybody that is headless cannot survive.
“We now have former deputy governors, former National Assembly members, former commissioners, former this and former that. Who is left in the PDP? Nobody. The People in Bayelsa is making history for the South South zone”, he said.
He said the lost of the Presidency was a blessing in disguise because it opened the eyes of the people to see underdevelopment, hunger, poverty, suffering, bad roads and other vices.
He described the South-South as the powerhouse of the country and said the region could not afford to be left behind in the mainstream politics.
He said after the December 5 governorship election, the APC will produce more progressive governors in the region. He said with Bayelsa joining mainstream politics the people will have more roads, more dividends of democracy.
“The PDP members who have left to join us today have found a new home. There is no fear of use and dump”, he said adding that the APC is not a party of share the money but a platform to create prosperity for everybody. Sylva on his part, said the coming together of his brothers and sisters had brought full joy to his heart describing APC as a complete party.
“The time for the unity and peace of Bayelsa has come. We need to foster peace in the party and the state because Bayelsa has seen enough division”, he said. Citing examples of political killings in the state, he said the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson has failed the people.
“There has been too many political killings under this administration. They have blood on their hands. The creeks of Bayelsa has become impassable. Nobody can mojo veg because the government has completely failed”, he said.
He said all the developmental projects that their kinsmen refused to bring to them will be brought to them through the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He thanked Timi Alaibe, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, Seibarugu, Binabo, Lokpobiri and Jonathan Omu for joining him in the APC. Speaking at the event, Alaibe, said the defection of notable members of the PDP showed the needed change in 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 cannot tolerate poverty. It is not our portion to be in poverty. How can one provide oil and gas and not benefit from it? Change has come to Bayelsa”, he said.
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