Governor Emerges Happiest Man in Bayelsa – As former APC chairman, 98 leaders, 5000 members decamp to PDP

  Governor Henry Seriake Dickson  of Bayelsa state yesterday emerges the happiest person in the state as a former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Tiwei Orunimiye decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP with 98 leaders and 5000 members members of the party.

From Left, a former  Bayelsa state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Tiwei Orunimiye in handshake with Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

  The Governor broke his one month mourning of his beloved late mother, Mrs Goldcoast Dickson, who died on August 9 and demonstrated overwhelming rare excitement over the gesture.

   It would be recalled that since the ugly incident had occurred and threw the entire state into mourning,His Execllency the Governor of the state had not appear in public function.

Governor Dickson speaking during the event.

   But this event which took place at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavillion Swali, in Yenagoa yesterday the Governor was inspired with exceeding joy that influenced him to dance as the former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state Chief Tiwei Orunimiye was dancing as he was performing his declaration decamping to PDP.

  Some of the prominent leaders who decamped with him include Chief Orifie Ene, President Buhari’s Representative in Ogbia Local Government Area in the 2015 elections, Chairman of the Bayelsa Waterways, Akparasia Africa and Okolovie Obou. Also, a serving lawmaker representing Brass 2 Constituency in the House of Assembly, Hon. Alfred Watson of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) jettisons his party to PDP.

Speaking at the ceremomy,Governor Dickson  said that the latest batch of decampees from the APC signified the death of the party in the state, adding that the 98 leaders of the APC led into the PDP by the former Chairman of the party represented the soul of the opposition party which gave the PDP a fight for the Governorship of the state in 2015.

  According to the Governor those who defected to the PDP were the real members of the party different from the supposed leaders of the party whose influence was prominent only on the pages of newspapers.

    “We welcome Chief Tiwei Oruminiye, our brother Africa, our member in House of Assembly, Hon. Alfred Watson, Chief Gita and indeed the 98 leaders and over 5000 members of the APC to the PDP. With what has happened, we have already brought down the APC in Bayelsa. These are the original owners of the APC and they represented the soul of the APC. Theses were the people who engaged us in the fight for the Governorship of the state in 2012. They tried their best but we were too much for them”, he stated.

  Although the Governor said he I didn’t intend to mention names, but he knew that the person they worked for should be grateful to these people.

  “Everywhere we went during the election, these were the people that we saw. When they were doing the fraud in Oporoma, these were the people we saw. The APC does not have a life with the defection of these people to our party.”

   The Governor promised to ensure that those coming into the PDP from the APC were treated fairly and given the same treatment as the members of the party; even in their meetings.

   He enjoined on the few remaining members of the party who were opposed to cultism, violence and were interested in the development of Bayelsa to dump the APC which a described as a haven for cultists and violent people.

   Dickson urged all those nursing political ambitions to go about them without fear of molestation stressing that the party under his leadership was ready provide a level playing ground for all aspirants.

    In his speech, the former Chairman of the APC, Chief Tiwei Orunimiye, said that he alongside others brought the APC to Bayelsa but decided to dump it because its lack of mission and vision.

Chief Moses Cleopas, PDP State Chairman Receiving APC Decampees led byChief Tiwei Orunimiye.


Decampees

   Chief Orunimiye described the leader of the party in the state, Chief Timipre Silva, as a businessman rather than a politician.

   He criticized Sylva’s approach and violent disposition to the resolution of party issues from the State to the national level.

  The former APC Chief said that Bayelsa would not opt for cultism in place of good and creative leadership provided by Governor Dickson. He contradicted an alleged claim by Sylva that those who defected to the PDP betrayed him, saying those who left the party were the ones who engaged the PDP during the last election at Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

Bayelsa PDP State Executive dancing. Centre is Chief Cleopas Moses

  He stressed that Sylva could go to court to contest the outcome of the last election because of the efforts of the 98 leaders who led their followers into the PDP on Saturday. The members who came enmasse to the venue displayed their party cards which they later tore to shreds.

    In his address, the State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Moses Cleopas described the APC as party that was not only dead in the state but would also die at the national level. He urged members of the PDP to exploit their leadership qualities to win elections for the PDP in the state.

   Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Fyneman Wilson highlighted the motive behind the gathering and thank the state Governor, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson for his immense support to make the event successful.

  A minute silent was offered to the beloved mother of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, Mrs Goldcoast Dickson.