- It is idle talk – PDP
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa Development Initiative (BDI) has raised the alarm over what it called desperate moves by the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, to destabilise the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the state’s governorship election.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the claims declaring that it was idle talk from a political party that has nothing to offer to Bayelsans.
The LP was the runner-up in the February 25th Presidential election with its presidential candidate, Peter Obi polling 49,975, an indication of a strong support base for the party.
BDI in a statement signed by its Secretary, Michael -Sam Rodamini said its investigations revealed that stopping the LP in the forthcoming poll had become a momentous topic on the drawing board of the governor and his team.
Samuel said to actualise their mission, the governor’s team had activated and actualise a plot to frustrate the governorship ambition of a former President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, and Udengs Eradiri, who had since purchased the LP governorship forms to challenge Diri at the poll.
Samuel said the intention is to stop the emergence of Eradiri as the governorship candidate of LP because of the sympathy he enjoys among the youths, women and other critical stakeholders in the state.
According to the group, the PDP team has concluded plans to purchase governorship forms using a proxy as part of the plot to destabilise the LP.
Samuel further disclosed that the proxy who is an aide to the governor is forging ahead with the plot by buying LP governorship forms which have been distributed to those who have been instructed to cause crisis, confusion and instability in LP while one of them would be railroaded to emerge as the party’s candidate only to step down for Diri before the election.
The BDI secretary accused Diri of being afraid of a fair democratic context adding that the governor was working to emerge as the only candidate from a serious party for the governorship election the same way he silenced other aspirants from the PDP to become its sole candidate without a competitive primary.
Samuel warned the national leadership of the LP especially its National Chairman against destroying the emerging force of the party, which he said had been made popular through the Obi-dient Movement.
In a swift reaction, the PDP publicity secretary, Ebiye Ogoli described the BDI claims as idle talks from a political party that has nothing to offer to people.
“They cannot prove all their claims. Why would Governor Diri be interested in the affairs of LP? That allegation is baseless and rubbish. How can buying form in LP help the governor win the general election. They just want to talk just for the sake of it,” he said.