Kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan, including Senator Clever Ikisikpo, have said they left the Peoples Democratic Party because of the method of operations of the party.
Ikisikpo, a former representative of Bayelsa-East Senatorial District in the Senate, spoke at a news conference on Tuesday at Kolo Creek in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Senator said he and past federal and state lawmakers as well as former political office holders from Ogbia dumped the PDP because “it was being run like a one-man business.”
He said they joined the All Progressives Congress because of the transparency, internal democracy, equity and fairness in the party.
It was learnt that many residents in the area were besieging the home of the former senator to indicate their interests to join him in the APC.
Ikisipo said, “What is happening is historic in the sense that we have now joined a new party and that is a reigning party.
“We will make sure that APC becomes a ruling party in Bayelsa State and by the grace of God, come December 2015, APC will take over this state. Of course, we are all ready to work as a team to make sure that we achieve our goal.”
The senator, who admitted having been in PDP since 1998, said he left the party when it derailed from its founding principles.
He alleged the PDP was hijacked by “one man”, lamenting that the level of impunity in the party in the state was high and unbearable.
He said, “We formed PDP in Bayelsa State. We made PDP in Bayelsa, but those who do not know how it came about came from behind and hijacked the party. I don’t belong to a party where there is high level of impunity, so I went to a system where there must be transparency.
“I went to a place where the voice of every person must be recognised, not a situation where only one person will dictate the pace for everybody. You cannot decide my destiny because it is God that gave me that destiny.
“That is why all of us left PDP and believe that a day is coming when PDP in Bayelsa State, will be left for three persons and come December 5, APC must take over the state.”
Also speaking, a former Chief of Staff in the state, Mr. Samuel Ogbuku, said he joined APC to identify with his former boss, Chief Timipre Sylva, and to contribute to the government at the centre.
He said he learnt to follow Sylva loyally because the former governor would not betray him.
He expressed optimism that the APC would take over the state’s Government House, claiming that the current administration of the PDP was already jittery.
Ogbuku said, “You can see that we are very much calm. We have so much confidence right now knowing that we are matching into Creek Haven (Bayelsa Government House).
“But those who are the current occupants, know that their days are numbered and that is why they are jittery.”