Ikisikpo, Bayelsa East senator, 6 others defect to APC KEHINDE ABDULSALAM, Abuja Clever Ikisikpo, a serving senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial district and six others from President Goodluck Jonathan’s constituency have ‎defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The development, which is the latest in the gale of defections trailing the poor outing of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded general election, particularly the loss of the presidential poll, is believed to have further depleted the camp of the PDP in Bayelsa State. Announcing their defections to the APC, Ikisikpo cited neglect and hijack of the party (PDP) by some "selfish individuals”. "It is indeed unfortunate that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which used to be known for fairness and ability to accommodate different shades of opinions, has been hijacked by few people. In the party today, impunity is the order of the day. Founding members who made the party popular to the mass of our people have been given the short shrift,” he said. They expressed displeasure over what they termed "unpopular decision in the selection of party's candidates in the National Assembly elections held in the state”, stressing that most of the candidates were imposed on them by "ungodly syndicate that has taken over the PDP". "In most cases, unpopular decisions are taken by these few individuals and imposed on the party without consideration for dissenting voices. A case in point is the election of members to represent Ogbia in the National and State Assemblies in the just concluded general elections. Primordial and sentimental considerations were given over and above competence and fairness, which had been the norm in our area,” the defectors further alleged. Aside Ikisikpo, other defectors are Nadu Karibo, serving representative of Ogbia Federal Constituency; Azibola Omekwe, Ogbia Constituency 1, Bayelsa State House of Assembly; Innocent Kaku, former chairman, Ogbia Local Government Area; Fini Terah Angaye (kolokuma/Opukuma Constituency 2, Bayelsa State House of Assembly), and Nadari Banigo, a stakeholder. In his remarks while welcoming the defectors, Timipre Sylva, former governor of Balyesa State, expressed the optimism that more people would still defect to the APC in the state. "Today, Bayelsans and the entire Niger Deltans have realised that APC is the way forward. This is the beginning of a big harvest, a lot of people will be coming over to the APC and I can assure you that soon, APC will become a dominant party in the South-South and Bayelsa State in particular,” he said. The former governor also boasted of his party’s chances in the Bayelsa State gubernatorial election in 2016, saying that APC had come to stay in the state. "Later this year, the Bayelsa gubernatorial election will be up for contest, when that time comes, please remember that today, I told you that APC will win the election in Bayelsa State, you can take that to the bank because we know how to do it,” he said.