Fresh facts emerged yesterday why a prominent member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the spokesperson of Bayelsa Peoples’ Consultative Assembly, Chief Alex Ekiotenne, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A socio-political organisation, Bayelsa Democratic Forum, revealed: “Ekiotenne has decided to defect to APC because Governor Dickson turned down his request to hire one of his guest houses for a monthly fee of N150 million, as was the case during the previous administration of Timipre Sylva in the state.”

The BDF in a statement by its Chairman, Tari Wellington and Secretary-General, Ekpai Okurus, wondered why Ekiotenne would embark on such ambiguous adventures, despite benefiting immensely from the administration of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

Ekiotenne was quoted as alleging that the lack of strategic planning, prioritisation, among other factors have impaired productivity and sustained performance of the Dickson regime in Bayelsa State.

According to BDF, Governor Dickson saw the hiring of the said guest house as unnecessary and a waste of the scarce resources of the state and decided to turn it down.

BDF said: “It is for this reason that, Chief Ekiotenne abandoned the PDP for the APC. But it is most embarrassing and disgraceful for a man, who has remained one of the major beneficiaries of the present government in Bayelsa State.

“Apart from holding multiple political appointments, Dickson also ensured that Ekiotenne was awarded contracts as well as appointments to his siblings, relations and close associates, based on recommendations from him.

“Bayelsans should be mindful of Ekiotenne and his cohorts, whose brand of politics is all about themselves and their immediate families, as they have never bothered about the overall interest of the people of the state. The action is being influenced by greed and selfishness, which have clearly become the dominant characteristics of Chief Ekiotenne and his likes.”

The BDF therefore challenged Ekiotenne to tell Bayelsans the truth and the main reasons for his sudden defection, having benefitted immensely from the Dickson administration.

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