I have read with rapt attention, the media reports of defection of some members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, the home of the immediate past president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Curiously, the leadership of the opposition, particularly Chief Timipre Sylva turned it to a media jamboree. Sylva has been trying to reap political capital from it, in preparation for the declaration of his ambition to return to power. And the narrative was skewed as if the defection was a one-way traffic; whereas hundreds of politicians from many political parties have been thronging to the umbrella party in recent time.
It is interesting to note that over 98 percent of the defectors are Sylva’s appointees, associates, relatives and people he had used his office of governor to rail-road into the state and national Assemblies between 2007 and 2011. Interestingly, almost all of these people did not support the governorship ambition of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in 2012, when the election held. Instead they supported Sylva even when it was clear that the then President, Dr. Jonathan, the critical stakeholders, the PDP apparatchik and of course, majority of the people in the state, were backing Dickson.
Top amongst the defectors are Chief Clever Ikisikpo, immediate past senator representing Jonathan (Bayelasa East) between 2011 and 2015, former Chairman of NDDC, Dr. Tarila Tebepah, former Commissioner for Agriculture under Sylva, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha and former House of Representatives member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency between 2007 and 2015, Hon Warman Ogoriba, a former acting governor of the state, Hon. Nestor Ibinabo, former Finance Commissioner under Sylva, Mr. Charles Opuala and a host of other aides, appointees and associates of Sylva. Indeed some of these characters were first recruited by the former First Lady to undermine Dickson ahead of the 2015 general elections and to prepare the ground for the supplanting of Dickson with her anointed godson, Hon Weripamowei Dudafa, who was Commissioner for Local Government under Sylva and Special Assistant on Domestic Matters to the immediate past president. The defunct Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) under the leadership of a former acting governor of the state, Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu, in the state became a veritable tool used to blackmail and cow the Dickson administration. They made it look to unsuspecting Nigerians that the governor was not supporting the re-election bid of Jonathan while in actuality; he was the one leading the charge and taking all the shots fired at the former president!
Indeed these same people calling for Dickson’s head are not doing anything strange; they are back to a familiar turf, as it was in 2012 so it is now and so it may be in December when we shall all cast our vote and respect the majesty of the ballot box!
After three and half years of Dickson’s administration, one would have expected these defectors to shift ground and come on board the restoration train more so that Dickson has consistently extended the olive branch to them through government patronage. Similarly, pundits had thought that since the ‘thrifty Countryman Governor’ has delivered on his campaign promises by running the state in the fear of God, turning the state into a huge construction site, restoring peace to the hitherto volatile Bayelsa and providing purposeful, transparent and accountable leadership to the people, those jumping the ship would have remained with Dickson to consolidate the gains recorded so far. That didn’t happen understandably, because the defection is not about the well-being of the people, the development of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation; all that matter to the defectors is their self- aggrandizement.
In his recent media chat in Yenagoa, the state capital, Chief DSP Alameiyesiegha, first elected governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman of the PDP elders Committee/ Reconciliation Committee in the state corroborated the above assertion mildly. ”As chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, we have invited so many people (defectors)… We dialogued with them and most of them saw reasons with us. The whole thing (defection) is about self-interest. Their grievances range from not being given appointments, not receiving their severance allowances during Timipre Sylva administration, or because they were not picked as candidates in the last general election and I asked the question: must it always be you?”
For sure, the evidence on ground doesn’t indicate that the APC will defeat the PDP on December 5. Already the PDP produced 105 councilors and the eight council chairmen, controls the 24-man state House of Assembly with 21 members and produced all members of the National Assemblies! And with a litany of over 500 government appointees and strong PDP structure, it will take a camel to pass through the eye of a needle for APC to sack PDP from Creek Haven
Aside these advantages, if Governor Dickson declares for second term, he will be banking on the people and his landmark achievements in office to retain his plum job. But it won’t be a bad idea for the Alameiyesiegha committee to bring back the obviously repentant defectors to the PDP family. The governor should not be carried away by the gale of endorsements for second term and shun those who want to join his restoration team because it is cheaper and safer if he goes into the election with less elite conspiracy and acrimony.
–Francis Agbo, a journalist lives in Yenagoa and wrote in via francisagbo38@gmail.com