Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

No fewer than 200 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, including an aspirant from Ogbia, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s local government area, have defected to the Advanced Peoples Democratic Party Alliance.

The defectors, who protested on Saturday in Yenagoa, the state capital, lamented that an unpopular candidate and incumbent member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mietema Obodor, was imposed on them by godfathers in the council.

The defectors said their preferred candidate for Ogbia Constituency 1, Mr. Azibataman Johnbull, was unjustly rigged out of the House of Assembly primary election the PDP organised in Otuoke, Jonathan’s hometown.

The aggrieved party members vowed to demystify ‘godfatherism’ in the LGA by supporting their candidate, Johnbull, in APDA to defeat Obodor, whom they said is the candidate of the godfathers

Johnbull, who led the defectors, described the Friday primaries of the PDP in Otuoke as the darkest, saying he would actualise his ambition in APDA.

He stated, “The destinies of our people and their socio-political and economic prospects were again tied to the dictates, whims, and caprices of godfathers, selected delegates, some of whom are girlfriends, biological brothers and sisters of the purported winner of the primaries.

“The PDP fell into the grave error and lost an ample opportunity to free our people from the grip of these individuals and their godfathers. The party rather chose to entrust our flag to those, who had consistently worked to undermine our party and the government of Governor Seriake Dickson.