A political pressure group the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF), has urged Governor Douye Diri t of defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Convever of the group Mr Wisdom Ikuli, who made the call in a news conference on Tuesday in Yenagoa urged political stakeholders to support the move aimed at realigning Bayelsa to the centre.

Ikuli, who is also Technical Adviser to Gov Diri on Print Media noted that CBSF is non-partisan, drawing membership across political lines of indigenes and non-indigenes resident in the state.

According to Ikuli, there is an urgent need for Bayelsa to join the APC, the party in power, because most of the characters left in the PDP are people who conspired to deny Bayelsa and indeed the entire Ijaw Nation, a second term at the Presidency in 2015.

He claimed that there are plans to hide under the excuse of crises and countless court cases in PDP at different levels to work to nullify the Nomination of all candidates that will emerge under the party platform.

Ikuli noted that Bayelsa is presently standing alone as the only PDP state in the South South, adding that the greatest challenge is the hijacking of the PDP by few individuals who have set-up traps for Bayelsans in 2027, particularly those who intend to fly the flag of PDP.

He said that In the next few days, the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum will begin a daily rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on the governor to consider his defection to the APC.

Ikuli emphasised that Diri?s move is in the overall interest of the state, non-negotiable and sacrosanct.

?Our fathers, Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief Sen. Melford Obiene Okilo admonished the Ijaw Nation to always align with the government at the centre largely due to our distance from the centre and our difficult terrain in order to attract development to our area.

?For instance, our adherence to their advice and our alignment with the People?s Democratic Party (PDP) that was the government at the centre helped Bayelsa, the Ijaw Nation to produce the Vice President and later, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Arme? Forces of this country in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.

?Sadly, today Bayelsans and Ijaws in general are not among the first 40 Nigerians from the Offices of the President, Vice President and Services Chiefs.

?Ijaws have been relegated and rendered politically and economically redundant and impotent because we are not with the government at the centre.

?Ironically, Ijaws are the majority in terms of population in the geographic Niger Delta area (South South) and the fourth largest tribe in the country.

?Ijaw Nation that contributes well over 65 per cent of the oil and gas wealth that are used to run the affairs of the country have been rendered powerless because of our non-alignment with the ruling party,? he said.

Ikuli explained that there is a power sharing and rotation system between the North and South, with the North haven done their complete eight years under late President Muhammadu Buhari is supposed to support the South.

He said that the South is expected to complete its own eight years under incumbent President Bola Tinubu who is working round the clock to strengthen the South.

Ikuli observed that the President has graciously appointed illustrious sons and daughters of Ijaw Nation and Bayelsa in particular into key offices.

According to him: ?We appreciate his appointment of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil),mChief Samuel Ogbuku as MD of NDDC.

?Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as MD of NDDBA and Hon. Preye Aganaba as the Executive Director of Human Resources of South South Development Commission (SSDC).

?We also thank President Tinubu for approving Federal Government takeover of the Second Phase of the Nembe-Brass Road that will help to link the Ocean where the vast wealth of Bayelsa State is.

?It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show Southern Solidarity with other Southern Governors who are with Mr. President,? Ikuli said.

He said that one of the greatest priorities in the alliance with the centre should be the actualization of the Agge Seaport that will help to boost the state economy and also bring about unimaginable transformation and prosperity.

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