John ODHE, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Constituency 3 of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state on Tuesday got a major setback as over 150 of its members defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Receiving the defectors at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, the state capital, state chairman of the APC, Dr. Dennis Otiotio said the development would further deplete the chances of the ruling PDP to win any election in Nembe LGA in 2023.
The chairman declared that having received the broom, which is the symbol of the APC, the defectors, who were from Mini Ward 11 in Nembe LGA, were now bonafide members of the party and share equal rights with other members of the APC.
“People are realizing everyday that the APC represents a credible alternative to the PDP in Bayelsa state, knowing that the PDP has failed in all ramifications.
“They have failed to bring development to Bayelsa state. They have succeeded to impoverish the people; they have succeeded in bringing bad governance to the people of Bayelsa state.
“The PDP lacks the capacity to enthrone good governance. That’s why the people of Bayelsa state are defecting day-by-day to the APC,” Otiotio said.
He averred that his party has fielded credible candidates that would defeat all opposing candidates at the forthcoming general elections.
Also speaking, the member representing Nembe Constituency 3 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Chief Douglas Awudulu, who is also the candidate of the APC for the same position, said it was his achievements that attracted the remnants of the PDP in his constituency to his party, stating that with the latest defections, he no longer has any opposition going into the 2023 polls.
Some of his achievements in his constituency, he said, include 500 x 6m Road at Agrisaba, 264m Road at Fikoru Ama in Oluasiri Community, 150 by 6m road at Iselegono Community in Ikensi, attraction of a Primary school building through SUBEB at Agrisaba, attraction of Borehole to Okoroba Community and attraction of the renovation of State School, Otuma Ama.
Other achievements of the lawmaker are: the construction of Borehole at Agrisaba, purchase of fishing tools for 120 people across the constituency, empowerment of 150 old women with cash gift, empowerment of 200 men with cash gift payment of WAEC and NECO fees for students across the constituency, attraction of laptop to secondary school students and monthly finance empowerment of over N2 million monthly from assumption of office till date amongst other projects.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Richard Kola from Agrisaba community, who described himself and other defectors as staunch members of the PDP, said they left their former party because they were being relegated to the background despite delivering victories for the PDP during elections.
Kola further recounted that Awudulu’s effective representation of Nembe constituency 3 in the state Assembly also prompted their actions to leave the PDP.
“We were staunch members of the PDP but after due considerations, we decided to defect to the APC. We weren’t being considered in anything. So, as our man (Awudulu) came on board, who is the Minority Leader, we started seeing some changes due to some developmental strides that he engaged in. We decided to move, that this side will be better than the other side. That’s the reason we came,” he added.
