On Friday, there was disappointment for
the camp of Pres. Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa state, as a member of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa Presidential Campaign
Committee, Senator Felix Oboro, switched allegiance from the PDP to the
APC.
Oboro is a former senator and former
ambassador of Nigeria to Venezuela. When Gov. Dickson swore in the
Bayelsa presidential campaign committee, Oboro failed to attend, and
yesterday he was formally welcomed into the APC at an event which was
headlined by former Bayelsa governor, Timipreye Sylva.
Sylva boasted that with the decamping
of leading political leaders from the state like Oboro, the PDP was on
its way to evntual collapse in the state. Oboro is considered as one of
the founding fathers of Bayelsa state.
In recent times, Sylva’s entry into the
state has been marked by political showmanship and jubilation on the
streets, and yesterday was no different.
He once again extolled the qualities of the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, in his speech.
“At a time like this, we need serious
men and women at the helm of national affairs. That is why we need Gen.
Buhari to fix the country,” he said.
Oboro said that the PDP lacked internal
democracy as the party has failed to pick candidates for positions in
the February elections in a democratic manner. The former Bayelsa SSG
stated that, ”since Dr. Jonathan became President and leader of the PDP
nationwide, there has never been any genuine congress in any part of the
PDP states to elect candidates to represent the party in any election.”
According to him, “The problem of our
country now is corruption, insecurity and economic downturn. Everybody’s
concern is who among our political leaders particularly Gen Buhari and
President Jonathan who are the flag bearers of the two major parties,
has the credentials to wipe out the above vices. The answer from 90 per
cent of the states is Gen Buhari.
“Under President Jonathan, even a simple
thing like internal democracy in his party had been destroyed because
he too ascended the governorship position through unholy harmonisation
and not democracy”.
“As for corruption, insecurity and
economic downturn, Jonathan’s six years as President is the cause of
these problems the country is talking about. Ironically Jonathan himself
agrees that these are real problems of the country, when he is still at
the helm of affairs.
“I would like to appeal to my Ijaw
people in Bayelsa State to understand the clear handwriting on the wall
and we should all educate our people to tow the popular reasonable line.
“Our people must join the mainstream and
we should not allow our state to be ostracised. Dr Jonathan has no
regard for Ijaw people. He has not shown any pride of being an Ijaw man.
The little dividend of democracy he had brought to the state is for his
community, Otuoke.
“The only way to peaceful change now is
for all Ijaw people to obtain their permanent voters card and cast their
votes. We should do everything possible to avoid our youths going back
to the creeks. After all, some of our leaders are not appreciating the
sacrifices of our youths.
“Otherwise how can President Jonathan
publicly express joy that Henry Okah- an Ijaw man from Amassoma is
languishing in a South African prison because MEND attempted to
“assassinate” him- an allegation no true Ijaw man will believe.
“President Jonathan made his allegation
in the opening of his campaign in Lagos. If the President says MEND did
not support him does he mean he became president on his personal merit?
“The blood Ijaw youths shed to attract
the attention of other Nigerians to consider Dr. Jonathan from our state
to be President is not appreciated by the President.
“Since he was imposed on the people of
Bayelsa to be governor by persons outside the Ijaw tribe, President
Jonathan’s loyalty is to the few persons that imposed him. President
Jonathan does not see any reason to apologise to the people of Bayelsa
State for his neglect of the state.
“Therefore any vote for him by Bayelsans
is a wasted vote as he can never appreciate us, even in the unlikely
event that he wins the presidential election on the 14th of February
2015.
“In view of the above reasons, I do not
see any rational ground being in PDP even though I was one of those
instrumental in positioning his luck from Deputy Governor to President.
Therefore, I have decided to declare for the APC and work with
reasonable politicians to effect a change of leadership in our country.”
Member of GEJ presidential campaign in Bayelsa decamps to APC; says “any vote for GEJ is wasted”
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Oleh
healthandwealth
