From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) are up in arms over the defection of some APC members from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The PDP under a programme tagged “Operation wind down APC in Bayelsa State’” had claimed that it received critical opposition figures from Southern Ijaw LGA.
But the APC has dismissed the claim saying those the PDP claimed it received were spent forces that were no longer relevant in the politics of the LGA.
The party said the delegation led by ex-militant leader, Eris Paul aka Ogunboss, comprised seasoned ward and community leaders from the APC and were received by its leadership led by Deputy Chairman, Talbort Tubonah; Secretary, Gesiye Isowo, while the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Friday Konbowei Benson, who is from Southern Ijaw, was in attendance.
Tubonah attributed the defection to the achievements recorded so far by the Governor Douye Diri-led administration.
The defectors took turns to commend Diri for showcasing great leadership in managing the affairs of the state.
However,Chairman of APC in the state, Dennis Otiotio- Odoni, dismissed the defectors, saying those that helped the party to win elections in Southern Ijaw, were still intact.
”The PDP had severally said that there are no more significant politicians in APC, yet they keep on announcing the purported defection of important politicians. It is pertinent to note that Eris Paul aka Ogunboss had defected to PDP since 2020 after the Supreme Court annulled the governorship victory of APC in Bayelsa State.
“I can assure you that all the politicians that made APC to win Southern Ijaw in the last governorship election are intact. Currently the PDP is jittery because the current administration has done nothing to justify the people of Bayelsa State giving their vote to PDP and the people of Bayelsa State will during the next election vote out PDP.”
