More than 2000 APC members defect to PDP in Bayelsa

Former Governor Timipre Sylva’s quest to erect a formidable All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State suffered a setback on Wednesday following the resignation of over 2,000 members of the party.

It was gathered that the mass exodus of the members cut across the eight local government areas of the state, including Brass, Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa.

It would be recalled that last April, over 78 political associates of Sylva, led by his erstwhile deputy, Werinipre Seibarugu, former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Gideon Ekeuwei, former Commissioner for Information and the ex-governor’s kinsman, Nathan Egba, publicly denounced membership of the APC and pledged loyalty to the PDP.

The party, at present, is headed by former chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council and Sylva’s foot soldier, Tiwei Orunimighe.

Prominent among those who announced their resignation in the state capital on Wednesday was Sylva’s Special Assistant on Intra-Party Affairs, Sunday Frank-Oputu.

Meanwhile, the former chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and the National Conscience Party (NCP) in the state said the APC does not have the political sanity to operate as an opposition party.

He said he and others quit because the APC lacks internal democracy and experienced politicians to guide it in the part of opposition politics.

According to him, the former governor was running the party like a one-man show, stressing that the leadership of the party under Orunimighe was clueless and rudderless.

Frank-Oputu argued that the party was dead on arrival in Bayelsa, adding that a party, which boasts to be the credible alternative to the ruling party, should not be administered as though it is the personal estate of some persons.

He said: “Things are not done the right way in Bayelsa APC. The leadership of the APC is docile and poor. They don’t even know what an opposition party should be.

“Today in Bayelsa, the APC is being run like a personal estate of some persons including Timipre Sylva. Though Sylva is a brilliant man, the failure of the party in the state is based on poor handling by the former governor.”

 SOURCE; http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/08/2000-apc-members-defect-pdp-bayelsa/