Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri and his apparent looming defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) might be getting closer.
A group under the coordination of one of his media aides, Wisdom Ikuli, has urged him to jump ship as soon as possible.
Speaking to some stakeholders and journalists in Yenagoa, the state capital, Ikuli, the Convener of the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF), reiterated that the call for the governor to join the APC is inevitable.
According to him, there is a clear need for Governor Diri to align with the government at the centre, and that can only happen if he joins the APC with immediate effect.
Ikuli stated that defecting would instantly lead to the development of the state; therefore, it has to happen quickly.
“Having said that, we wish to proceed to the crux, which is the need to appeal to His Excellency to take a decisive step to align with the government at the centre.
Our fathers, High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief (Sen.) Dr Melford Obiene Okilo admonished the Ijaw Nation to always align with the government at the centre, largely due to our distance from the centre and our difficult terrain, in order to attract development to our area.
For instance, our adherence to their advice and our alignment with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that was the government at the centre helped Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation to produce the Vice President and later, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of this country in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sadly, today, Bayelsans and Ijaws in general are not among the first 40 Nigerians from the Offices of the President, Vice President and Services Chiefs,” he said.
Ikuli further noted that Ijaws have been rendered politically and economically redundant for many years, despite contributing a major percentage of the oil and gas wealth that is used to run Nigeria’s affairs.
He concluded by saying that Bayelsa is currently standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of South South, and that has to change.
“Ironically, Ijaws who are the majority in terms of population in the geographic Niger Delta area (South South) and the fourth largest tribe in the country, and the Ijaw Nation that contribute well over 65 per cent of the oil and gas wealth that are used to run the affairs of the country have been rendered powerless because of our non-alignment with the ruling party.
Again, there is a power-sharing and rotation system between the North and South. The North, having done their complete eight (8) years under late President Muhammadu Buhari, is supposed to support the South to complete their own eight years under incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is working round the clock to strengthen the South.
Presently, Bayelsa State is standing alone as the only PDP state in the whole of South South. The above may not be too much issue. The greatest challenge here is the hijack of the PDP by a few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsans in 2027, particularly those who intend to fly the flag of the PDP.
There are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform. So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP,” he added.
