A political group in Bayelsa State, called the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF), is asking Governor Douye Diri to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr. Wisdom Ikuli, who started the group and is also the governor’s media adviser, made this statement in Yenagoa. He urged other Bayelsa leaders to support efforts to bring the state closer to the Federal Government.
Ikuli said CBSF includes people from different political backgrounds and tribes, even those not originally from Bayelsa. He believes it is time for Bayelsa to work closely with the APC government in power.
According to him, many people in the PDP worked secretly against the Ijaw people in 2015, stopping them from getting the Presidency. He fears the PDP’s internal fights and court cases could cause their candidates to be removed before the next elections.
Ikuli added that Bayelsa is now the only PDP state in the South-South region and warned that a few powerful individuals are controlling the party in the state, which may hurt the party’s chances in 2027.
The group plans to begin street rallies soon in Yenagoa to convince Governor Diri to move to the APC. Ikuli said this step is very important for Bayelsa and cannot be ignored.
He also reminded people that past Ijaw leaders like Chiefs Dappa-Biriye and Melford Okilo believed working with the party in power helps bring development, especially since Bayelsa is far from Nigeria’s center.
Ikuli pointed out that Bayelsa benefited when the PDP was in charge of Nigeria, as it helped produce leaders like former President Goodluck Jonathan. Now, the Ijaw people are no longer in top federal positions like the presidency or service chief roles.
He said it’s unfair that the Ijaw people, who bring in over 65% of Nigeria’s oil money, are not getting enough political power because they are not connected with the party leading the country.
Ikuli talked about how power in Nigeria is shared between the North and South. He believes the South should be allowed to finish its turn under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
He praised Tinubu for supporting the Ijaw people by giving important jobs to their sons and daughters. Some of them include Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Oil Minister and Chief Samuel Ogbuku as the NDDC Managing Director.
Other Ijaw leaders also got key roles, such as Chief Ebitimi Amgbare and Preye Aganaba in southern development agencies. These appointments, Ikuli said, show the president’s support for Bayelsa.
He thanked Tinubu for agreeing to fund the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road project, which is very important as it links Bayelsa to the Atlantic Ocean.
Finally, Ikuli said this shows Tinubu cares about Bayelsa. He urged Governor Diri to join other APC governors in the South and work together with the Federal Government. He added that only through such support can projects like the Agge Seaport be achieved to improve the state’s economy and future.
