Christopher Uche, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has suffered another set back following the resignation and defection into the All Progressive Congress (APC) by some aides of the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and members of the State Working Committee of the Party including the State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Surveyor Furoebi Akene and the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Douglas Samson Awudulu.
Others who have equally dumped the PDP for APC are the Secretary of the State Center for Youth Development, Comrade Claudius Egba, the Special Adviser to the Governor, Hon. Banabas Edure and a former Chairmanship candidate of the Accord Party from Nembe Council Area, Comrade Matthias Kuro Nye Nye.
While Surveyor Fuerobi Akene, in his resignation letter to the governor, said his decision to pull out of the Restoration cabinet was to enable him attend to pressing personal and family issues, Hon. Claudius Egba said his resignation was based on the non-response of the State Government to series of issues bothering on youth development.
Hon. Claudius Egba, in his resignation letter dated 5th November and addressed to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), stated that though he appreciated the Governor for giving him opportunity to serve as the Secretary of the State Youth Development Center, the resignation is based on personal conviction that service to my people can be exercised on a different platform other than the center.
According to Egba, ”Having expended so much time and energy in the board without a corresponding response from government, I am constrained by circumstances to convey to your office, my decision to resign.”
Commenting on the development, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Sylva/Igiri campaign Organisation of the All Progressive Congress (APC),Chief Nathan Egba described the rising cases of defection as a show of acceptance of the flag bearer of the Party,Chief Timipre Sylva.
Also speaking,the President of the Rescue Mandate Mission,Ambassador Sokari Afiesimama,described the mass defection from the PDP as commendable and said “Every Ijaw man should vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP to chart a new course to fulfill the change mantra initiated by the APC.”
“We therefore laud Bayelsans, to build confidence in the All Progressives Congress Candidate Chief Timipre Sylva and support him ahead of the December 5th election because in his usual way, he will embark on prompt payment of civil servants salaries, proper care for pensioners, medi-care for the aged, youth empowerment. Indeed we commend Chief Timipre Sylva and all well meaning Bayelsans who came out in mass to laud the APC’s initiative by carrying out the operation sweep Bayelsa clean”.
