A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Yekini Nabena, has said Governor Douye Diri is not bringing any value addition but is already scheming to destabilise the existing leadership of the party in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the APC chieftain maintained that Diri will join the APC empty-handed because the political bigwigs in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are not decamping with him, unlike what recently happened in Delta and Enugu states.
According to Nabena, Governor Diri is scheduled to formally decamp to the APC on Monday, and he wants to destroy the existing leadership of the party before jumping ship.
He alleged that the governor is behind the rumoured arrest of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, in connection with a coup plot, urging Nigerians to disregard the fake news.
A section of the media reported that Ogbuku was arrested by military intelligence operatives over allegations linking him to the financing of an attempted coup, which had been dismissed by the military high command.
Nabena said, “Let me put it on record that we are not saying the Governor should not join the APC, it is a democracy and he has the right to join any party. The fact we will not accept is for him to destroy some people and the existing leadership of the APC in Bayelsa state because he wants to take full control of the party.
“We have traced the recent happenings in Bayelsa state to Governor Douye Diri’s camp, especially the arrest rumours of NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku.
“The plan is to destroy the existing organs and prominent members of the party before he formally decamps to the APC on Monday. But up till now we have not found an answer to the question of what Governor Douye Diri is bringing to the APC. This is a governor whose deputy is not defecting with him; hence he is plotting to impeach the Deputy Governor.
“This is a governor that even some State House of Assembly members have rejected. About 90 per cent of the serving National Assembly members, including Senator Dickson and other high-profile lawmakers, are not on the same page with him.
“This is a governor who is not in control of his local constituency, not to talk of his entire senatorial district. We ask Governor Douye Diri again to tell Nigerians who is running after him or what he is running after,” he added.
He added that many prominent politicians in Bayelsa PDP are comfortable with the leadership of Ogbuku and will only join President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda through the NDDC MD at the right time.
