Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, says he is confident of victory despite the defection of some of his party leaders to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Chairmen of the party across six Local Government Areas of the state had defected to PDP and declared their support for Governor Douye Diri.
Speaking with with newsmen on Friday, Eradiri described the defectors as betrayers, who can trade anything for parochial gains, saying he was in the governorship race to solve Bayelsa problems.
He said: “Well, there is no reaction about the party leaders that defected, it was expected, they are just looking for ways to deceive Douye Diri. You know he is not on ground, so anybody who wants to make money from him is to go and deceive him, don’t forget that I gathered the Labour Party people and when they started this appointment thing, I told them go and collect, because I’m here for Bayelsa problems, I’m not here for the party.
“This party members, I made them, they are surrogate of government, they betrayed Obi, is it me that the will not betray? These people will sell their mother for anything, I was expecting it, it even came at approximate time because this is the selling period, it’s the last day of campaign; I don’t do politics of decamping; if I go to any community, people come to me that they want to decamp, I will say please I don’t do this kind of politics, stay where you are and vote for me.
“I don’t know how to do party politics, it is so unfortunate that Bayelsa is in this state, the level of incompetence the governor is expressing is the reason any two or three person can gather to get money from him. I heard again that another group has gathered this morning, saying that they are Obi supporter group and collected N30 million.
“I am not a violent person; in this election, no violence has been recorded over my activities. I have been consistent about the non-violent process. I didn’t participate in signing peace accord because I didn’t miss anything, I was not informed on time.
“There is no drinking water in any part of Bayelsa, rain is falling in public secondary and primary schools, I’m prepared for tomorrow’s election, so that Bayelsans will have the needed leadership,” he said.
The party chairmen who defected are Super Kworkwor (Yenagoa), Ifiemi Ilahnyog (Southern Ijaw), Clinton Naru Emesua (Ogbia), Tamuno Deifugha (Kolokuma/Opokuma), Warri Moses (Sagbama) and Appi Ebierelayefa Stephen (Nembe).
They accused the party Governorship candidate of deliberate refusal to inaugurate campaign council but appointed only a two-man campaign structure which he used as mere errand boys.
The Six Local Government Party Chairmen, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, said despite several invitations to appear before the State Executives of the Party and advice on needed synergy with party officials, Eradiri openly insulted, embarrassed and rejected every advice offered him to enable the party participate in the campaign activities.
“Our candidate lacks the maturity that is required to be the Governor of Bayelsa State. Yes, we agree that he is well educated and has experience but maturity is zero. He is too petty, fault finding, quick tempered, impatient and very argumentative. Our candidate does not believe in our party or its leadership. He abuses and castigate the party leaders both in private and in public. Even the national leaders are like children as far as our candidate is concerned.”
“The Governorship candidate of our party in Bayelsa state deceived us about his financial preparedness to contest this governorship election. Every Bayelsan knows the enormous financial implication of contesting for the position of a Governor of a state. The candidate is also 100 per cent aware that the party has depleted its resources in the last presidential election and he ought to also know to have come prepared. Instead, he came and was asking the party what we have brought to the table.”
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