Bayelsa lawmaker, others abandoned PDP for APC

A member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Alfred Egba, and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party have dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress.

Egba, representing Yenagoa Constituency 1, announced his defection to the APC on Friday.

Other members of the House who were denied tickets to return to the Assembly were said to have perfected plans to leave the PDP before May 29.

During the PDP primary election last year, no fewer than 16 lawmakers said to be loyalists of former Governor Timipre Sylva failed in their bid to clinch the party’s tickets.

With the victories of the APC at the federal and many states, there appears to be noticeable cracks in the PDP in Bayelsa State.

Adducing reasons for his action, Egba said he dumped PDP because the party could no longer give him the needed covering.

Egba, a close ally of Sylva, said he moved to APC with his supporters and associates.

He said his associates included a former Special Adviser to Sylva on Special Duties, Chief Sonme Ogilogi, and a former commissioner in the state Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Tom Egba.

He said, “The PDP is clouded in a series of controversies with parallel structures of leadership. The party is surrounded by the emergence of a factional chairman, while another person still claims to be in charge of the party leadership.

“The PDP has been hijacked and there were many occasions when I was never aware of developments in my constituency and the PDP in the state even with my position as a member of the House of Assembly under the platform of the PDP. I have consulted with stakeholders and also sought the face of God before deciding to quit the party.”

Bayelsa lawmaker, others abandoned PDP for APC