Ahead of November 16 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa state, the state’s chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been hit with more defections as prominent members of the party resigned their membership.
Robert Ayallah Enogha, the Chairman of the Bayelsa Environmental Sanitation Authority in resigning his membership cited non-tolerance of differing opinion. Enogha a kinsman of former president Goodluck Jonathan said the decision to leave the party was a painful one as stated in his resignation letter.
“I write to formally inform you of my withdrawal of membership from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). I am doing this with so much pain as a founding member of the party which was truly democratic as at then. I must acknowledge the immense benefit and experience I have gathered over the years through service as a loyal and faithful member. However, I have lost confidence in the party’s ability to accept where the opinion of majority counts, hence my resignation”, the letter said.
Also Bright Erewari-Igbeta the Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Environment resigned his appointment and membership of the party. Igbeta is former member of the state’s Assembly from Nembe.
Another of Igbeta’s kinsman, James Jephthah announced his resignation of his membership of the party along with his supporters and associates. He said his withdrawal was the outcome of the meeting he held with leaders of the party and his supporters.
The emergence of Senator Douye Diri as the flag bearer of the party for the November election did not go down well with many members of the party. A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe is currently in court challenge the outcome of the governorship primary. The state’s governor has been accused of imposing Diri on the party.
Some senior members of the party including a former deputy governor of the state and a former Senator have dumped the party in recent weeks.
