PDP begs as members plan defection today

No fewer than 570 key members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State are planning to dump the party for the All Progressives Congress on Saturday (today).

PDP crisis

But an association within the PDP in the state called the Unity Group begged the aggrieved members to reconsider the move.

The group made the appeal at a news conference in Yenagoa on Friday against the backdrop of mass defections of prominent members of the party to the APC.

Addressing journalists on Friday, Coordinator, PDP Unity Group, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, urged the aggrieved members not to defect to another party.

Ebikake, a former Commissioner for Transport in the state, who was recently relieved of her position because of her alleged closeness to the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, said the group was committed to the unity and resolution of the crisis confronting the PDP.

She said, “We cannot deceive ourselves. Some of our people have vowed to go to the APC. We want to use this medium to appeal to them to return. The home they have built, they cannot allow it to collapse.

“We are a group in the Bayelsa State PDP that is committed to the unity of our party, particularly after the outcome of the recent general elections.

“We believe that losing power at the centre after 16 years should unite rather than divide us. We salute the commitment of our members and supporters in the last 16 years.

“However, we are not oblivious of the most recent defections from our great party in Bayelsa State to the opposition APC. We cannot also pretend to be unperturbed of the planned defection of our esteemed members on Saturday (today) in Yenagoa.

“There is no doubt that some of these defectors are men and women of high political substance and pedigree who have contributed to our past achievements.”

PDP begs as members plan defection today