Defection Rocks Bayelsa Assembly

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

Less than two months to the end the 5^th Bayelsa state House of Assembly, one of the two remaining members of the opposition parties, Honourable Gabriel Ogbara has defected from his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a defection letter read at the Assembly chambers during plenary penultimate Tuesday, the House Speaker, Konbowei Benson quoted Ogbara as saying “after duly consulting with his constituents of Ogbia constituency III he obeyed their clarion call persuading him to defect having lost his re-election bid to the PDP, harping that his defection is timely as he hopes to continue impacting his constituency by staying afloat in the state’s ruling party”.

Speaking to journalists shortly after his defection the Elebele – born lawmaker said he has declined going to the election tribunal as he has also consulted with his former party members and opinion leaders, maintaining that he would rather contribute his efforts at ensuring a better tenure for the incoming Assembly representative from his constituency.

According to Ogbara, having reclaimed his first tenure mandate through the courts, re-engaging in same means now after loosing his second tenure bid would amount to further wastage of time and resources.

It will be recalled that Gabriel Ogbara contested the 2015 Bayelsa state House of Assembly election on the platform of the ADC and lost to Naomi Ogoli of the PDP in an election observers criticized as widely rigged but later reclaimed his mandate through the court.

Photo Caption: Hon. Gabriel Ogbara