The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa has begun efforts to consolidate the prevailing peace within the party to counter the threat posed by the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which is seeking to lure APC members into its fold.

Former governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, recently defected to the NDC, which he plans to use as the main’opposition party in Bayelsa State.

Investigations revealed that phone calls are being made to several politicians in the state, especially those who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, to persuade them to join the NDC and offer them tickets to contest elections.

However, the newly elected Chairman of the APC in Bayelsa, Hon Warman Weri Ogoriba, has hit the ground running, taking steps to thwart the opposition’s plot to lure APC members away from the state.

Speaking to the State and Local Government Coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA), led by Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, during a private visit, Ogoriba stated that the party under him and the leadership of the governor, Senator Douye Diri, would ensure they conduct rancour-free primary elections, which would be in line with the consensus of stakeholders.

According to him, opposition parties, including the newly registered NDC, would be waiting in vain for an implosion of the APC in the state.

‘’We are operating an open-door policy and have started visiting stakeholders to ensure that the fold of the party is not open to acrimony. Those in the opposition dreaming that there would be an implosion within the APC before they can survive will be disappointed.”

Investigations revealed that since his election, Ogoriba has reached out to Chief David Lyon and the party’s running mate in the 2023 governorship election, Chief Joshua Maclver, as part of peace-building efforts to consolidate the harmony in the party and assure all critical stakeholders of the party’s leadership to sustain the transparent process of decision making initiated by Senator Diri as the leader of the party.

Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli has lambasted Dickson over his attempts to discredit the performance of the Diri-led administration, labelling such comments as a “needless distraction” intended to destabilize the state’s political climate.

Sunny-Goli described Dickson’s assertions as an attempt to “heat the polity” and urged Diri to remain focused on his administration’s landmark projects.

He emphasised that the citizens of Bayelsa are satisfied with the governor’s current trajectory, noting that Diri has prioritised the welfare of the people over political grandstanding.

“It is laughable that he attempts to compare his inglorious administration with that of Governor Douye Diri, who has not only restored tranquillity but has also blurred the lines of partisan politics,” Sunny-Goli stated.

The former lawmaker, while noting that Senator Dickson has a “penchant for stoking fire” whenever his personal or political ambitions are at stake, implored Diri to disregard Dickson’s vituperation. (The Sun)