As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state flags off it campaign for November 16 governorship election, over 5,850 leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have defected from the party to the PDP.
Majority of the defectors led by Pastor Miebi Biribena are from the Southern Ijaw and Sagbama local government areas of the state.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, stated that the APC members came out in large numbers to dump their brooms, the symbol of their party for the PDP’s umbrella during the official flag off of the PDP Gubernatorial campaign in Bayelsa in Yenagoa.
Other notable APC Chieftains who defected to the PDP with their teeming supporters include, Chief Ezekiel Youngbo, Dinini Dorgu and Abel Sikpi.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Pastor Bribena regretted leaving the PDP for the APC which he described as a party of visionless characters.
He assured the PDP that he and his supporters would deliver the entire Sagbama local government area for the PDP without opposition from his former party.
“I am a son of the soil from Agbere in Tarakiri Kingdom in Sagbama local area. Some years ago, the Governor said to me ‘Arc Bribena you are young and vibrant, when I listened to you on radio, you are a solid material. But Chief fred Agbedi is our preferred candidate and we are working for him to be re-elected. So allow him to go.
“Instead of listening to my head, i listened to my emotions. He told me, ‘i have seen potentials in you, if you had come earlier to indicate your interest with what i heard of you on radio, i would have allowed you to go and contest for House of Assembly and start from there. But I refused to listen and my emotions took the better of me and i said I was going to stand against all that represented Dickson.
In his remarks, the Governor òf Bayelsa State, the Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson who thanked Bayelsans for their massive support for the PDP, stressed that the APC had failed to provide solutions to the myriad of problems plaguing the state.
He called on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva to utilize his position to collaborate with the state government to bring the desired development to the state.
Governor Dickson also cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives against any form of intimidation and manipulation.
Also speaking the PDP flag bearer, Senator Douye Diri, assured that when elected, his administration would build on the solid foundation laid by Governor Dickson with emphasis on youth and women empowerment through deliberate measures to promote business growth in the state.
Senator Diri particularly noted that the three senatorial road projects would be completed to hit the Atlantic Ocean where the state’s treasure lies.
