Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, other Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) stalwarts in the state , have rejected the defection of Governor Douye Diri to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP stalwarts maintained that
the party remains the biggest opposition force in the country and is still strong enough in Bayelsa state to make defection unnecessary.
Diri, who announced his resignation from PDP through his spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, did not provide details or reasons for his defection.
Allies of the two PDP leaders, who spoke to journalists in separate interviews, said there was no justification for any PDP leader or member to leave the party that had brought them political prominence.
“The Deputy Governor, Ewhrudjakpo, and one of our leaders, Seriake Dickson, including other former lawmakers in our party, are still with the PDP — we’re going nowhere,” one of the sources said.
Another source disclosed that the deputy governor refused to attend the State Executive Council meeting where Diri announced his resignation from the PDP, although he has not yet declared his next political move.
He said, “Earlier this morning, Diri presided over the SEC meeting, but the deputy governor refused to attend. He didn’t attend because he’s not defecting alongside the governor.”
However, it was gathered that members of the State House of Assembly who resigned from the PDP alongside Diri are planning to initiate impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor for refusing to defect with the governor.
Sources revealed that the lawmakers intend to describe Ewhrudjakpo’s refusal to defect as gross misconduct and an impeachable offence, adding that nothing would prevent them from proceeding with impeachment at their next sitting..
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