Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s close friend, Mr. Diekivie Ikiogha, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State. Ikiogha, who is a founding member of the PDP, crossed over to the APC at an elaborate ceremony held on Saturday at the Kpansia open field, Yenagoa, the state capital.
He defected with some other members of the erstwhile ruling party. Also, members of other political parties, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance, left with him for the APC.
Prominent members of the PDP that defected with him are Mr. Victor Awala, Mr. Paul Ajuwa, Mrs. D. Irene, Mr. Prince Abeki, a former commissioner, as well as over 150 former councillors from 1999 to 2012.
Besides, no fewer than 43 non-governmental organisations, under the aegis New Bayelsa Initiative, also filed out with Ikiogha, whom they described as a great grass-roots mobiliser.
Ikiogha, a former Bayelsa State Chief of Staff, said to be a trusted and dependable ally of Governor Seriake Dickson, is one of the brains behind the emergence of Dickson as governor in 2012.