News Update
There is disquiet among political stakeholders in Bayelsa State following a strong indication that Governor Douye Diri is on his way to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His defection will add to the misery of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South geopolitical zone following the defections of Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno of Delta and Akwa-Ibom states, respectively.
According to investigations, Diri is in advanced talks with top Presidency officials over his switch to the ruling party. Sources said Diri, in turn, has been discussing his decision to defect with political stakeholders in the state.
A reliable source said Diri had informed National Assembly members of his decision to defect and had sampled their opinion about the move.
‘’The truth of the matter is that he has discussed the defection plans with National Assembly members, but some of them are not comfortable with the decision. Specifically, Miteama Obordor (0gbia federal constituency), Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/ Ekeremor federal constituency) and Maria Ebikake (Brass/ Nembe federal constituency) are against the move. They argue that there is no compelling reason to move now. Oboku Oforji (Yenagoa federal constituency) will go wherever former governor and Senator Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Dickson, directs him to go, the source said.
The source further stated that Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) and Senator Konbowei Benson (Bayelsa Central) are indifferent to the move and would move with the governor. However, the source disclosed that Diri’s predecessor, Dickson, is not open to defection, but he would not stop the governor as he believes he is mature enough to make political decisions on his own.
The source said Diri has also spoken to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ngobere, on the defection plans and mandated him to sample the opinion of his colleagues. A top-ranking member of the House confirmed that the Speaker has spoken to them on an individual basis, and they are expecting him to address them as a group.
“Yes, the likelihood of the governor defecting is very high. And the majority of us in the House of Assembly are also ready to go because, let us face the fact, only Bayelsa State in the South-South cannot remain in the PDP. Let us all move into the APC so that everybody can rest. The uncertainty in PDP is high. We cannot be in a party where our candidature can be invalidated by the Court any time before the elections due to the crisis in the party. The governor and Speaker are out of the country, but we believe that when the Speaker returns, he is going to address us on the way forward,’’ the lawmaker added. The former minister of petroleum and former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, in a telephone interview, said he was unaware of Diri’s defection plans but was quick to add that he will be happy to receive him into the APC. “This is because when I first brought this party to the state, they said it was not an Ijaw party, but now it is being accepted. I will be happy to have him in APC.’’
Spokesman of the governor, Mr Dan Alabrah, when contacted, said he was not aware of any discussion the governor had with anybody concerning defection. “Well, I am not aware of any such discussion at this time. But knowing the governor and the kind of person that he is, you know that he will make his position clear on the direction he is going. He will not give room for speculation. He will say it the way it is when he is ready to say it. So, I cannot say anything at this point because I am not aware that he has had any discussion with anybody, National Assembly members or State House of Assembly members.’’