A socio-political group known as the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders (CBS) says it has concluded plans to mobilise Bayelsans to embark on constant solidarity rallies to compel the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Party (APC).

The convener of the group, Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Print Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, stated this during a world press conference held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on Tuesday.

Hon. Ikuli said the reason behind the group’s to embark on the solidarity rally is to ensure that many characters left in the PDP are people who conspired to deny the Ijaw Nation a second term at the Presidency, and that Bayelsa cannot afford to be disconnected from the ruling party.

According to Ikuli, there is urgent need for Bayelsa to join the APC, the party in power, because there are concluded arrangements to hide under the excuse of crisis and court cases in PDP to nullify the nomination of candidates that will emerge on the party’s platform.

He said, Bayelsa State is currently standing alone as a PDP state in the whole South South region, noting that the challenge is the plot by some individuals to hijack the PDP in a bid to fly the party’s ticket in 2027.

He explained further that in the next few days, the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders (CBS) will begin their daily Rally on the streets of Yenagoa to prevail on the governor to consider his defection to the APC, stressing that his move is non-negotiable and Sacrosanct.

Parts of his address read: “our fathers, High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief (Sen.) Dr Melford Obiene Okilo admonished the Ijaw Nation to always align with the government at the centre largely due to our distance from the centre and our difficult terrain in order to attract development to our area.

“For instance, our adherence to their advice and our alignment with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that was the government at the centre helped Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation to produce the Vice President and later, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of this country in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Sadly, today Bayelsans and Ijaws in general are not among first 40 Nigerians from the Offices of the President, Vice President and Services Chiefs. Ijaws have been relegated and rendered politically and economically redundant and impotent because we are not with the government at the centre.

“Ironically, Ijaws who are the majority in terms of population in the geographic Niger Delta area (South South) and the fourth largest tribe in the country, Ijaw Nation that contribute well over 65% of the oil and gas wealth that are used to run the affairs of the country have been rendered powerless because of our non-alignment with the ruling party.

“Again, there is a power-sharing and rotation system between the North and South. The North having done their complete eight (8) years under late President Muhammadu Buhari is supposed to support the South to complete her own eight (8) years under incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is working round the clock to strengthen the South.

“The President has graciously appointed illustrious sons and daughters of Ijaw Nation and Bayelsa State in particular into key offices.

“We appreciate his appointment of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Chief Samuel Ogbuku as MD of NDDC, Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as MD of NDDBA and Hon. Preye Aganaba as the Executive Director of Human Resources of South South Development Commission (SSDC).

“We also thank President Tinubu for approving Federal Government take over of the Second Phase of the Nembe-Brass Road that will help to link the Ocean where the vast wealth of Bayelsa State is.

“It is based on the above that we unanimously appeal to the Governor to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to show Southern Solidarity with other Southern Governors who are with Mr. President.”