By Amos Okioma
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youths Development, Ibarakumo Otobo, and the Special Adviser to the state governor on Youth Development, Asari Nengete, have not only resigned their appointments, but defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive party (APC).
They were received into the APC fold by the leader of the party in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, who was represented by the only opposition member in the state House of Assembly, Sony Isreal Igoli, Brass constituency 1, in the presence of the running mate to Timipere Sylva during the 2015 governorship elections, Chief Wilbrtforce Igiri.
He said that the defectors took a right decision at the appropriate time, stressing that they were been hoodwinked by the People Democratic Party (PDP) with its antics of deceit.
According to him, APC has the power to deliver the state from poverty and hunger which has become synonymous with governance.
In his remarks, the chairman of the APC in Bayelsa State, Jotham Amos, said Bayelsans yearn for change which is only antidote to the poverty and suffering the people are experiencing as a result of bad governance which had inflicted hardship in every strata of Bayelsa state and by these the people should rally round APC and vote massively to take over government in the state and expect dividends of democracy from the national government in 2019.
In their separate responses, Ibarakumo Otobo said before he came to the APC he had resigned his appointment as commissioner for youths development and it was for good, adding, “This is an indication to others who would defect from PDP to APC in Bayelsa state.
“To me it is good bye to PDP and I don’t know whose Ox is gored, I can belong to any party that I like.”
Also Asari Nengete said two appointments as Special Adviser to the governor on Youth Development and Grassroots Mobilization were farce as the governor after offering him the appointment did not match action with words, wondering what he could do without empowerment and mobilization of resources for him to work with. He said that he has left PDP for good and will not retrace his footsteps .
In his remarks, Hon Fini Angaye posited that Bayelsans should identify with APC to entrench a government that will liberate the people from hunger and despondence which the PDP government has inflicted on them with its programs and policies such as the public service reforms which has compounded unemployment in the state.