A political pressure group, the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF), has urged Governor Douye Diri to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group’s convener, Mr Wisdom Ikuli, made the appeal on Tuesday in Yenagoa, urging stakeholders to support the move to realign Bayelsa with the Federal Government.
Ikuli, who is also Governor Diri’s Technical Adviser on Print Media, stated that CBSF is non-partisan and includes members from various political backgrounds, including non-indigenes.
He said Bayelsa must urgently align with the APC, as many PDP figures allegedly conspired to deny Bayelsa and the Ijaws the Presidency in 2015.
He alleged there are plans to exploit the PDP’s internal crises and litigations to invalidate candidates who emerge from the party ahead of future elections.
Ikuli stressed that Bayelsa remains the only PDP state in the South-South region, now controlled by a few individuals who pose electoral risks for 2027.
He revealed that the CBSF would soon begin daily street rallies in Yenagoa to urge Governor Diri to consider defection to the ruling APC.
Ikuli insisted that the governor’s defection is in Bayelsa’s best interest and should be considered non-negotiable and sacrosanct.
He recalled that Ijaw leaders like Chiefs Dappa-Biriye and Melford Okilo advised alignment with the centre for development, given the region’s remoteness.
Ikuli said past alignment with the PDP, while it ruled nationally, enabled Bayelsa to produce both a Vice President and President in Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
He lamented that the Ijaws are now excluded from top federal roles, including the Presidency, Vice Presidency, and Service Chiefs positions, weakening their political relevance.
“In spite of their population and contribution, Ijaws remain marginalised due to lack of alignment with the ruling party,” Ikuli added.
He argued that the Ijaws, who contribute over 65 per cent of Nigeria’s oil wealth, have become powerless because they are not aligned with the Federal Government.
Ikuli explained Nigeria’s North-South power rotation system, stressing that the South must complete its eight-year turn under President Bola Tinubu’s current administration.
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He noted that Tinubu is committed to strengthening the South and has appointed several Ijaw sons and daughters to key positions.
Ikuli appreciated Tinubu’s appointments, including Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Oil Minister and Chief Samuel Ogbuku as NDDC Managing Director.
He also mentioned Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as NDDBA Managing Director and Preye Aganaba as Executive Director at the South South Development Commission.
Ikuli thanked the President for approving the federal takeover of the Nembe-Brass Road Second Phase, a key project linking Bayelsa to the Atlantic Ocean.
He said this development shows Tinubu’s commitment to Bayelsa and urged the governor to demonstrate solidarity by joining the Southern APC governors.
Ikuli added that aligning with the Federal Government is crucial for realising the Agge Seaport, which will boost the economy and ensure prosperity.
