*As Sobotie Urges Members To Register For PVCs
Thousands of supporters of a former Commissioner and former Local Government Chairman, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, have defected to the All-Progressives Congress, APC party in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State.
This development follows Ekiyor’s dumping of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP by the former Ijaw Youth Council, IYC president, and former President of the University of Benin, UNIBEN Student Union Government, SUG.
Ekiyor who was one-time Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Delta State has been a Chieftain of PDP in Patani LGA. He has always been associated with the victory of the party over the years because of the overwhelming supporters base he controls and mobilizes in the area.
While addressing the leadership of the APC state executive led by the State Chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie, and party members from across the State in Patani, yesterday, Ekiyor who is a Dental Surgeon by profession and a political activist, said that he and his supporters have moved, adding that they will not rest until they take over power.
“For me, this is not decamping, this is returning home. We are the progenitors of the APC in this Local government. We went on sabbatical. Today, we are coming home.
“I want us to know that democracy is about people. And in any society and party where the people have no say, then there is no democracy. All die na die. If you are working in a system and the system does not value you, then you have no business staying in that system.
“Nobody was in the opposition party to the PDP before. All of us came on the same day. We farmed the farm together; we cut firewood together; we cooked the food together; when it is time to eat, they carried the food and ran away.
“And we have been hungry, we have been shouting. Of course, I’m not a conventional politician, I’m an activist politician. And because I have moved, all my fans in Delta State have moved. In 2015, before these people came to power, they came to my house to beg for support. They came to Patani; they knew our strength.
“I mobilized one more time for PDP. But because they are wicked people, they always settled for mediocre. They brought their brothers, they brought their wives, they brought their children, they brought their in-laws, only them.
“Some of their children were employed as staff of the Council and they are going to school in Kano, in Bayelsa yet they are still a staff of the Council. And the youths here have no jobs.
“Go and check the list of SAs, PAs, SSAs, etc from this Local Govt Area, in the Okowa government, they are all family members. We have moved. We will not stop until we take over power”, he said.
Addressing the mammoth crowd after welcoming the decampees, the State chairman of the party, Elder Sobotie said they have taken the right decision to dump the PDP for APC, stressing that all hands should be on deck to take the state from the PDP.
He encouraged members to register and obtain their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, adding that with it they will give PDP a red card to leave Osadebe House for the APC.
“Today is a day of your freedom, a day of your liberty. So that all of us will join hands to say bye-bye to these wicked people.
“Go and register and with your voters’ cards serve them red cards. When one is given a red card in a game of football, what happens? The player is sent away from the game.
“So that at the end of the day we shall celebrate. The celebration comes only when there is victory. We are going to be victorious.
“If you are somebody who is sensitive in the spirit you will know that God has delivered this State to APC. If you are somebody who is sensitive in the spirit you will know that God has given us their necks and we will not allow them go”‘, he said.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the sideline, the leader of the party in Patani Local Government Area, Barr. Raymos Guanah described the event as Tsunami, adding that it is exactly what will happen in the area when the time comes.
According to him, the people have resolved that the end of PDP has come in Patani Local Government Area, adding that in the seven years of Okowa administration in the state, no government project can be identified in the area.
“He said: “This is the 7th year of Okowa’s administration in Delta State. We have ten wards in my local government. From ward one to ward ten, there is no ward where Okowa can mention that he did a project worth N200 million in Patani. None, in the ten wards. We won’t take it again.
“So, we have decided to give our votes to APC because we are pleased with what APC is doing in Delta Central led by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. We are sure we shall benefit more from the party than PDP.”
On why he was optimistic of victory for APC in Patani this time around, Guanah said that all the winning machinery of the PDP over the years are now aggrieved and have now decamped to the APC, adding that victory will be assured.
“The people that PDP has been using to win elections are all aggrieved and they are here with us now. So, I can assure you that APC will win this time around”, he said.
Former heavyweight PDP politicians in the Local Government Area that decamped along with Dr. Chris Ekiyor include High Chief Ekeremor Pinaowei Dirikebamor; Chief Wesley Torukeregha; Mr. Isaiah Aboye; Ebiakpor Seriboh, Mr. Gift Michael amongst others.
Chieftains of the APC present at the occasion include the Deputy President of the Senate represented by the State party chairman, Elder Sobotie, Dr. Chris Oghenechovwe, leader of APC in Patani LGA, Barr. Raymos Guanah, State Ex-officio member of the party, Mr. Chuks Erhire, Delta South APC leader, and High Chief Michael Johnny amongst others.
