The recent visit of Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to the Presidential Villa, was to beg the presidency to allow him join the All Progressives Congress (APC) to complete his second term, the ruling party has alleged.
The APC, through the Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), in a statement signed by its Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba, said despite reports that Dickson visited the Presidential Villa last Tuesday without invitation to beg President Muhammadu Buhari to be allowed to go for a second tenure, the state government has continued engage in denial.
Egba further alleged that the governor, who sought to seek audience with President Muhammadu Buhari, was also denied access to meet with the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari.
Dickson, the APC said, was only able to meet some presidency aides.
He said: “Our sources confirmed to us that Governor Dickson went to beg the presidency to forgive him over his derogatory and inflammatory statements during the election and to prevail on the APC candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, to soft pedal in Southern Ijaw LGA to enable him win the forthcoming rerun election in the area.
“In return for that favour, the governor proposed to forment an artificial crisis in the PDP at the national level and use that as a basis to decamp from his party to the ruling APC. His argument was that he recognised the fact that Bayelsa State cannot afford to remain in opposition to the ruling party.
“We know of a fact that this would be the second time Governor Seriake Dickson would be seeking to dump the PDP for the APC in the course of elections in the State.
“The first time was in the heat of the National Assembly primaries of early last year when he sought to replace all serving National Assembly members from the State with his cronies against the wishes of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who wanted the performing ones to be returned.
“On that occasion, he openly threatened both the former President and the PDP hierarchy of his readiness to decamp to the APC and using his past relationship with the APC National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu to secure tickets for his preferred candidates, as well as himself to defeat the PDP at the polls.
“Of course he got his way in that election with Dr. Jonathan despite sponsored verbal and media attacks against the former First Lady, Dame Patience.
“But unfortunately for Mr. Dickson, the APC unlike his party, the PDP, will not fall for such cheap antics and the officials he met with, clearly told him there was no deal. He therefore, had to return home deflated and empty handed.”
But the PDP in a statement signed by the Director, Restoration Campaign Organisation (RCO), Jonathan Obuebite, denied the allegation.
He said: “Governor Dickson has no reason to defect to the APC in order to win an election that had ahead been won. We call on APC to accept the fact that they had lost this election. They have not only lost, they have also been roundly rejected by the people. No amount of propaganda, lies and deceit can change the outcome of an election that had already been won by the PDP.”
