Disquiet in PDP over Mbah, Diri’s planned defection to APC

3 weeks ago 6

By Clifford Ndujihe, Anayo Okoli, Dapo Akinrefon & Sam Oyadongha

AHEAD of the planned defections of Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, determination is disquiet successful some states.

Mbah and Diri, who were elected connected the level of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, person reportedly concluded plans to dump their enactment for the APC.

They are expected to bash truthful connected October 14

However, Vanguard gathered that the defections whitethorn beryllium delayed owed to the situation that erupted successful Enugu APC implicit the weekend.

In readiness for Mbah, the National Working Committee, NWC, of the APC, past Thursday, dissolved Enugu State Working Committee, SWC, and acceptable up a caretaker committee, led by Ben Nwoye.

While the Ben Nwoye committee is acceptable to invited Governor Mbah, the dissolved SWC is kicking, insisting it is inactive successful charge.

The enactment of the PDP successful Enugu and Bayelsa person kept sealed lips connected the issue, contempt respective attempts to get their views.

Division successful Bayelsa

In Bayelsa, Diri’s planned defection to the APC has elicited reactions from stakeholders successful the predominantly Ijaw speaking state.

While immoderate defended the move, saying it would align the authorities with the APC controlled cardinal authorities and arsenic specified pull much national patronage, others dismissed it arsenic self-serving, wondering the quality it would marque successful a authorities dominated by the PDP successful the past 26 years, with the second astatine the centre for 16 years.

Though a root adjacent to the Bayelsa spot of authorities confirmed that each was acceptable for the governor’s defection he, however, faulted the October 14 day being speculated successful the mainstream media and the societal media.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said: “Yes, the politician is leaving the PDP but the October 14 day reported successful the media is what I cannot guarantee. He has told america he’s leaving and arsenic a leader, ours is to travel him. He volition personally marque his determination nationalist soon.”

We are acceptable for Diri — APC

Attempts to get officials of the authorities PDP executives to talk connected the improvement proved abortive but the authorities president of the APC, Chief Dennis Otiotio, said: “The APC Bayelsa State section is acceptable to invited immoderate person that is prepared to enactment the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and his reelection successful 2027.

‘’We judge the President has done good for the South-South, and each the governors of the portion should, therefore, rally circular to enactment him successful the 2027 statesmanlike election. We volition beryllium blessed to person Senator Douye Diri into the APC, anytime helium decides to defect.”

But different authorities authoritative of the APC who spoke anonymously, said: “I cannot respond to speculation. We person not been officially communicated astir the said defection.”

It’s a invited devt — Ambakederemo

In his reaction, Ijaw person and Convener, South South Reawakening Group, Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, said: “The power of Governor Douye Diri from the PDP to the ruling APC is simply a invited development.

I tin recollect vividly my involution successful this substance wherever I person called connected the politician to see this move. If this is happening now, past helium indispensable person listened to omniscient counsel.

“Our radical request to recognize that to payment substantially and person our interests protected successful politics, we indispensable person a spot astatine the array wherever decisions are made. Anything little is illusionary.

‘’This is not a clip for cautious steps but for courageous leaps. The Ijaw radical person been near down and successful the acold for excessively long. We indispensable galvanise ourselves for a greater economical renaissance. To my mind, the power to the enactment astatine the centre would broaden national opportunities for Ijaw sons and daughters beyond state-level appointments arsenic good arsenic let them entree to national placements and decision-making roles.

‘’Our governmental forebears didn’t play absorption authorities astatine the aboriginal ages of our governmental travel arsenic they were ever aligning with the enactment astatine the centre. Therefore, I don’t deliberation it volition beryllium omniscient to proceed to beryllium successful a enactment that doesn’t person a future, the PDP doesn’t person immoderate future.”