NEDU MARK, Yenagoa
Former former Chief of Staff to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and a close ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, has revealed that his political destiny is not tied to the Jonathan.
Ikiogha, reputed to be one of the longest standing allies of Jonathan, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress APC in Bayelsa State recently at an elaborate ceremony held at the Community Secondary School, Kpansia open field, Yenagoa, along with many PDP faithful, and embraced the All Progressives Party (APC).
Ikiogha was believed to be one of the brains behind the emergence of Seriake Dickson as governor in 2012.However, indications of frosty relationship between Dickson and Ikiogha emerged when Dickson removed him under controversial circumstances as Chief of Staff, at the Government House, Yenagoa and redeployed him to the state’s Abuja Liaison Office.
Ikiogha in an interview, said notwithstanding his friendship with Jonathan, he had decided to jump into the ship of the APC to chart a new political course for himself.
On why he dumped PDP and crossed carpetted to APC Ikiogha said, “Maybe people are getting it wrong or they are looking at it from a different point of view. Well I do not have anything with former President Jonathan.
“Our relationship (Jonathan and I) remains very cordial and I feel that my political destiny is not tied to anybody. It is not tied to friendship, it is not tied to even my wife or my mother or my father. You see, yes, here is a man that we started together, we have been able to raise him to the level of the President and he has finished what he needed to do and has come back home. Must I not chart my political course?
“I need to chart a course to take the right thing to do. If because of him, I was in the PDP and because of him I could not move because he was the President and I needed to give him the support as a friend until he is no longer there, must I continue to be blind to say even if he is no longer there I should remain?
“The point is that I have seen a better association, a place that I feel that I can belong to exercise my political opinions and make my suggestions for the betterment of the country”.
“I feel that the platform of APC is better for me and if I have not been able to take that decision years ago because of him, now that he is no longer there, what stops me? Nothing because I cannot continue to tie my destiny to Jonathan. My political destiny is different from every other person.”
Ikiogha said he left the PDP because the party was full of deceits and betrayals as well as lack of internal democracy.
On the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Ikiogha, who is one of the top aspirants, said the APC would trounce the PDP, irrespective of whether the PDP fields Dickson.
“Well, my prayer is that there should be free and fair elections, campaign and everything, but I know that even though PDP has been on ground for 16 years, APC is sure to win the governorship election. How we would go about it, I may not be able to tell you but all what I know is that APC will capture the day.
“But it also depends on who the APC is presenting. The PDP depends also on who they present. But I am sure that if APC presents a good candidate, it will win by a landslide whether the PDP presents incumbent Governor, Seriake Dickson.
He also spoke on his relationship with the state party leader, Timipre Sylva, saying both have cordial relationship.
Ikiogha said, “Well you are aware that I served under Timipreye Sylva as commissioner twice. We left for APC and for me to go back to APC means that we are cordial. We are good. We are birds of a feather that is why I should go where he is.
“But one thing is obvious, it is good for you to marry two wives to appreciate who is better.
“When you make political mistakes, you learn lessons from one point or the other. At the end of the day, it is all about giving a good life to your people, if you are not the greedy type. So we find ourselves in APC on the same platform trying to fight and bring a better life for Bayelsans.”
