Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on Wednesday lost the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Ibarakumo Otobo, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The commissioner resigned from the State Cabinet and the ruling Peoples Democratic party, (PDP), and thereafter, decamped to APC.
The Commissioner, who was a Special Adviser on Youth, as well as Coordinator of the Bayelsa Volunteers, explained that he his decision to quit the PDP and embrace APC was personal.
Otobo promised he would help APC to defeat the PDP in the state. He was received at the APC State Secretariat on Wednesday by APC leaders who include a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Israel Sunny- Goli, the State Chairman, Hon. Jotham Amos, former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Fini Angaye, and other party chieftains.
“I have resigned my appointment today as a Commissioner in Dickson government. I have a right as a patriotic citizen of this country to choose the political party I want to belong to. I am leaving the Dickson government for good and the PDP with all my supporters. I am not afraid of anybody. I am for APC, goodbye to PDP. I don’t associate with failure and I am coming to the APC with the spirit of winning,” Otobo had declared.
National Daily gathered that Governor Dickson is now under pressure to make necessary adjustments in the leadership of the State PDP to forestall further loss of prominent members to APC. However, the governor has also harvested from the defection of several APC members to PDP in the state.