Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The gale of defections in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continued in Ekeremor and Kolokuma/Opokuma local government areas as former council chairman in Ekeremor, Tolu Amatu and Prof. Gesiye Brisibe defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Amatu who was recently announced as special adviser to Dickson alongside four others rejected the appointment and instead pledged loyalty to the APC governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon.
Amatu, who was received at the APC secretariat vowed to work with his supporters to ensure the party wins the November 16 governorship election.
Prof. Brisibe, who was a senatorial aspirant for Bayelsa Central was until his defection the administrative secretary of the Timi Alaibe Campaign Organisation.
Notwithstanding, the governorship ambition of Senator Douye Diri and his running mate Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, got a boost over the weekend as foremost traditional ruler, Obenibe of Epie Kingdom, King Malla Sasime, and the Council of Chiefs endorsed them.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted King Sasime has having given the assurance when he hosted Governor Seriake Dickson who was in the palace to present Diri and Ewhrudjakpor to him and his kingdom.
The Obenibe assured the PDP flagbearer of support of the Epie Kingdom.
The King disclosed that he decided to give his blessings with the expectation that he would take over from Governor Dickson and sustain the enviable legacy of development set by the administration and even surpass it in the interest of Bayelsa and indeed the Ijaw nation.
“You have come to ask for my blessings; the blessings of the Epie Kingdom, and that I will willingly give to you. I will not give it to you for the fun of it. I will give it to you with all seriousness hoping that you receiving the blessings will know the seriousness with which you are receiving it and the seriousness with which you are supposed to execute the purpose of the blessings.”
Dickson reaffirmed that Diri and Ewhrudjakpor ticket remained the only one with the capacity to guarantee continuity of his development agenda in the state.
He expressed the confidence that the Diri/Ewhrujakpo ticket would ensure completion of the critical projects in the state capital and its environment which were stalled due to the economic recession that hit the country.