Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A group under the aegis of Bayelsa Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Restoration Foot Soldiers (BPRFS) has threatened to frustrate the governorship ambition of a former managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, if he fails to apologise to the party for allegedly betraying it in 2015 following the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Alaibe, who has already obtained Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, assured Bayelsans that he would build on the legacies of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.
However, BPRFS in a statement by its publicity secretary, Ebi Lawson, said while Alaibe has the constitutional right to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa, he must apologise publicly to all loyal members of the PDP for betrayal in 2015. Failure to do that, he said, Alaibe would continue to carry the moral burden until he realises the importance of loyalty and commitment to a political party.
The statement reads in part: “So far, with his trajectory, Alaibe is telling the world that a political party is only good as a platform to realise his ambition and that even without working for the party; he can walk into the party and become its candidate. To worsen his case, Alaibe was accompanied to the headquarters by some expired self-serving politicians and the so-called leaders who have yet to clear themselves of allegations of anti-party activities in the last election that distracted the PDP and caused the manipulation of elections in some parts of the state, which landed our party in court to recover two House of Representatives seats and one senatorial seat.
Lawson maintained that there is no room for disloyalty in Bayelsa PDP.