Southern Ijaw—According to a report by the guardian.ng, some stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state have perfected plans to dump the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Their defection is premised on growing disenchantment with leaders in their wards.
Describing the action(s) of their leaders as “persecution and wickedness,” kinsmen of Senator Moses Cleopas are also expressing displeasure with him.
Senator Moses Cleopas is being accused of favouring his Koluama 2 constituents while neglecting their Koluama 1 counterparts.
According to a source, Sele-Epri Matthew, a member of PDP Presidential Campaign in 2019 and PDP Ward Leader in Koluama 1 might have perfected plans to defect to the APC with his supporters.
“His reason for considering dumping the PDP he had toiled for over the years is due to perceived persecution from Koluama 2 PDP stakeholders under the supervision of Cleopas and Nimibofa Ayawei.”
Findings by the guardian.ng states that trouble started when Senator Cleopas supported his nephew, Tibe-ebi Amadein, against Sele-Epri Matthew in the Keffes Rural Development Foundation (KRDF) elections.
A source revealed that Senator Cleopas allegedly used security apparatus against Matthew in a bid to install Amadein and lobby oil companies to fund his governorship ambition.
“The people of Koluama 1 are complaining of marginalisation. They are saying that Cleopas and Ayawei from Koluama 2 hijacked the political and economic benefits accruing to the ward, leaving their Koluama 1 kinsmen in political wilderness.
“What is happening in Southern Ijaw now were the same reasons that led to the defection of former militants leader, Reuben Wilson, to the APC,” he said.
Calling on the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri to intervene in the issue, some PDP members in Southern Ijaw, opined that if Matthew leaves the PDP, it will put the party in turmoil in Southern Ijaw local government area and state in general.
Meanwhile, efforts by Mangrovepen.ng to get the reaction of Senator Moses Cleopas proved abortive as phone calls and messages put across to him were not returned as at press time.
