Jonathan’s Senator, Rep, Others Defect To APC

Barely two months after it lost the presidency to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday suffered another major loss as the senator and House of Representatives member representing President Goodluck Jonathan’s home constituency at the current National Assembly, Senator Clever Marcus Ikisikpo and Hon Nadu Karibo, have both defected to the APC. Others who dumped their former party the (PDP) include Hon Azibola Omekwe, reprensenting Ogbia Constituency 1; Hon Fini Angaye , Kolokuma/Opukuma constituency 2 of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, former Ogbia local government chairman, Hon Innocent Kaku and a chieftain of the party, Nadari Banigo. Addressing journalists at the APC national secretariat , Abuja, leader of the defectors and senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Clever Ikisikpo, said they believe that Bayelsa State would be better represented under the APC platform.

While berating the PDP for under-developing the state, he said that their new party would work hard to win the governorship election in the state coming up later this year.

Senator Ikisikpo stated that the sentiment that prevented them from moving to the APC before the election was over, explaining that they would have moved earlier but did not want to be associated with the consequence that would have befallen President Jonathan after the election.

“We express our readiness today to work with the APC at the local, state and national levels. We are convinced that APC best represents the future for Ogbia, for Bayelsa and for Nigeria. Together, we hereby join the movement for change in Nigeria,” he said.

Former Bayelsa State governor and leader of APC in the state, Chief Timipre Sylvia, said Bayelsans had realised that they needed change and that time had come for them to embrace it.

He regretted that the party worked hard in the just concluded election to deliver the state to the APC but PDP Forces who were bent at riging the election frustrated their efforts.

The former governor assured the party leaders that APC would clinch the governorship seat in the next election. (Leadership)