Group Calls On Governor Diri To Join APC

The Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF) has called on Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so as not to be left behind.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Yenagoa, the Convener of the group, Wisdom Ikuli, maintained that Governor Diri’s defection to APC would give the state the leverage to enjoy patronage from the Federal Government.
Ikuli argued that defecting to APC would also make Diri align with other South-South governors in APC.
He recalled that past leaders of the Niger Delta like Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief Melford Okilo admonished the Ijaw Nation to always align with the government at the centre in order to attract development to the area.
He said, “Our adherence to their advice and our alignment with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 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 first 40 Nigerians from the Offices of the President, Vice President and Services Chiefs. Ijaws have been relegated and rendered politically and economically redundant and impotent because we are not with the government at the centre.
“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, Ijaw Nation that contribute well over 65 percent 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.
“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 few individuals and the very dangerous traps that they have set for Bayelsans in 2027 particularly those that intend to fly the flag of PDP.”
He alleged that existing court cases could be used to nullify the nomination of all candidates of the PDP. “So, we can imagine the pains, agony and disarray that the state shall experience if the state remains in PDP.”
He said those opposed to the governor’s defection were selfish and were not without prioritizing the interest of the state and the entire Ijaw nation.
Ikuli spoke of the need to allow President Bola Tinubu return for a second term because of a supposed power sharing system between the north and the south.
While thanking President Tinubu for approving Federal Government takeover of the Second Phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, Ikuli said the formation of an opposition coalition against the President would not work.
He also appealed to the President to commission the execution of Agge Seaport project that will boost the state’s economy.
The group however passed a vote of confidence on Governor Diri for his service to the state and the Ijaw nation.