An association within the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, PDP Unity Group, has said the party members who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress, will soon come back to the PDP.
The ruling party in the state has been hit by mass exodus of its prominent leaders and faithful over allegations of intimidation, lack of internal democracy, injustice, betrayals, deceits, among others.
But at a news conference in Yenagoa on Monday, Coordinator, PDP Unity Group, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, insisted that those who crossed from the party would soon return the moment the ideals pursued by the group were achieved.
She expressed optimism that the souls and spirits of the defectors, despite their reasons to dump the PDP were still with the party.
She recalled the shouting of the PDP slogan instead of the APC’s by former Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.) at the APC mega rally last Saturday as an indicator that the souls and spirits of those who left the party were still with the PDP.
Ebikake, a former Commissioner for Transport, who was sacked in April because of her alleged closeness to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, reiterated the group’s readiness to remain steadfast in its efforts to sanitise the party.
She vowed that the group would fight any form of injustice and marginalisation in the PDP. Ebikake said, “Whereas the defectors have a right to their actions and some of their claims against the PDP may be true, the Unity Group is relentless on a mission to right the wrongs within the party, and there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
“The group was instrumental in the last-minute change of heart of some members who would have defected last Saturday and we will continue to constructively engage other intending defectors.
“There are strong indications that some of those who crossed are ready to return to the party the moment the ideals being pursued by the group are achieved.”
The coordinator also advised party members to renew their commitment to the party. She expressed optimism that the PDP would retain the state during the December 5 governorship election.
