Defections: Bayelsa Govt blasts Ikisikpo, says he’s frustrated

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Thursday, May 14th, 2015

*I’m not leaving PDP – Gov Dickson

The Bayelsa State Government has described as most uncharitable, the comments credited to out-going Senator representing Bayelsa-East Senatorial District, Clever Ikisikpo, during his defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The lawmaker had while officially announcing his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside other lawmakers with their supporters at the APC national secretariat, said the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, will soon defect to the APC.

But a statement issued on Thursday in Yenagoa by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, berated Senator Ikisikpo over his comments, noting that, the comments were made out of frustration “to dignify his perfidy and robe Governor Dickson into his dubious defection scheme.”

He said, “A man who rose from relative obscurity through the platform of the PDP from 1999 as House of Assembly member and later to the National Assembly, serving as a two term member of the green chambers and from there rose through the shoulders of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Senate, could not even as a mark of honour and respect, wait for the President, his benefactor, kinsman and leader of a political party that gave him so much, to leave office before defecting to the APC. ?

“It shows the height of desperation, treachery, mischief and blackmail perpetrated by some of the so-called PDP leaders, who worked to deny the party victory at the polls even against one of their own.

“As a government, we are not surprised at Ikisikpo’s action and others like him. In fact, the public should expect many more defections in the days to come from those, who worked against candidates of the party in the recently-concluded House of Assembly elections. It is pertinent to state that, their leaving the party is of no consequence to the fortunes. We want to assure them that posterity will be the judge.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Dickson is not leaving the PDP, rather he will remain in the party as one of the leading force to ensure the revival and consolidate the party at the national level. The public should therefore discountenance the statement by Senator Ikisikpo and his ilk. The PDP is becoming stronger, more disciplined under the leadership of His Excellency, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson.”

Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State