APC Youth Leader, Others Defect to PDP as Thousands March for Diri’s Second Term

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Thousands of youths, yesterday, took to major roads of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in solidarity walk in support of the re-election bid of Governor Douye Diri.

The youths from the eight local government areas of the state walked a distance of more than 10 kilometres from the popular Tombia roundabout to the Peace Park opposite the Government House.

Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State governor, Daniel Alabrah,  said, a prominent APC youth leader in the state, Gifted Natus, also led scores of defectors to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as part of the re-election walk for the governor.

Speaking on their behalf, Natus said they decided to join Diri’s prosperity family because in the last three years under his watch, Bayelsa State has been politically stable and peaceful.

He noted that the leadership of their former party dampened their hopes and aspirations due to lack of direction and failed promises, saying they could no longer remain in a sinking ship.

“We are here in our numbers to join the prosperity government because of the exemplary leadership style of the Miracle Governor, his peaceful disposition and because he is spreading prosperity across the eight local government areas of our dear state.

“Since the governor came into power, we have witnessed peace and political stability in the state. In the APC, it has been one failed promise after another. We cannot remain under a leadership that lacks direction,” he said.

Responding, Diri said he was elated, when he got calls on the walk endorsing his second term bid, particularly by youths in the opposition who decided to join his party.

He thanked them for the solidarity and for coming back home to the PDP, assuring them that all their rights would be fully restored.

The governor urged the youths to always stand for peace, unity and development, stressing that he has a covenant with them to equip them through skills acquisition and capacity building.