Bayelsa PDP denies defections, says party intact

The Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, has denied report that more of its members are planning to dump the party for the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The party said a socio-political group, Bayelsa Great House, had recently said the former chairman of the PDP in the state, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd. ), who recently defected to the APC was wooing other key leaders of the ruling party to join him in the APC.

But the State Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Keku Godspower, said such claim was false as the leadership and members of the party were solidly behind Governor Seriake Dickson and committed to his re-election.

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According to him, Inokoba does not have the political strength or leadership acumen ascribed to him in the report to swing the support of PDP members for the APC.

He described Inokoba and others who left the party as selfish individuals who were all along engaged in anti-party activities.

Keku stated, “We wish to state categorically that contrary to a report, no member of the Bayelsa State Working Committee or the purported non-working committee and the generality of our members across the state were considering leaving the party.

“We want to make it abundantly clear that contrary to the propaganda, all the organs of the party at all levels are intact and are fully behind the re-election of Governor Dickson. Inokoba and his group, Bayelsa Great House, are political charlatans who will be disgraced in due time.”

Keku berated Inokoba for arrogating to himself political powers and influence, he did not possess, noting that he (Inokoba) could not win his ward and as such leaving the PDP was good.

He claimed that all the while Inokoba held sway as chairman of the PDP, members of the party were always complaining of his poor leadership style.

He said the party always knew that he was a mole for the opposition and therefore was not surprised he acted the way he did, stressing that his leaving the party had no effect whatsoever on the PDP.

He also clarified the reported resignation of a former special adviser to the governor, Rufus Abadi, to join the APC, saying it was a cheap propaganda to mislead the public.

He claimed the former adviser in question had earlier been removed and replaced, but only rushed to the media to announce his resignation which, he said, was smacked of mischief.

Meanwhile, a socio-political organisation, under the aegis of Ijaw Patriots for Good Governance, has concluded arrangements to mobilise massive support for the re-election of Governor Seriake Dickson, beginning with his formal declaration on September 8.

A statement issued on Sunday by the spokesperson for the group, Prof. Samuel Belekumo-Adari, after a meeting in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, said the Ijaw leaders unanimously agreed to back Dickson’s second term bid because of his track record of performance.

He said, “Dickson remains the only governor who has succeeded in projecting, propagating and defending the Ijaw national interest within the context of a united and egalitarian Nigeria.

While  stating that Dickson stood head and shoulder above any of the contestants, Belekumo-Adari urged all Bayelsans and the Ijaw people to come out and support him.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take every step necessary to ensure that the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, which will be the first to be conducted under his watch as president, were conducted in a manner that will strengthen public confidence.