Bayelsa senator joins APC, says PDP ‘can’t win councilorship elections’

Benson Konbowei, senator representing Bayelsa central, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Konbowei announced his decision in a letter addressed to Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, and read during Thursday’s plenary.

He said his decision followed consultations with his family, political associates, and leaders within and outside Bayelsa state.

“Considering the unpleasant circumstances and the crisis-torn situation in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of which I’ve been a member since 1998, and from which I was elected into the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“After due consultation with my family, my associates, my political leaders in my state, and across the nation, I have resolved to join the governor of my state, the state of Bayelsa, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, to resign my membership of the party.”

The lawmaker said he had lost faith in the PDP’s capacity to function as an effective opposition or win elections in the country.

“In coming to this decision, I’ve taken a deep look at the protracted leadership crisis and the division that has resulted from the competition for power within the Peoples Democratic Party, especially at the national level,” he said.

“I’ve lost hope in the capacity of my party to play the role of a political party that is capable of winning councillorship elections in Nigeria.”

Konbowei lamented what he described as the party’s departure from the founding vision of its leaders.

“Oh Alex Ekwueme, oh Solomon Lar of blessed memory, the political party you all built, which held loft promises for Nigerians, has fallen into wrong hands,” he said.

“Lacking the principled leadership of you, the founders, the PDP has become characterised by eternal power struggles, irreconcilable conflicts, and at the moment, is in total disarray.

“And there is no one, worthy of being called a politician, who would sit and wait for those issues to be resolved, even as the 2027 election beckons.”

The senator declared his allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Accordingly, it has left me with no option but to resign from that party you all built. So, I hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party and hereby declare my total loyalty, support and movement to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.

Konbowei’s defection comes 48 hours after Kaila Samaila, senator representing Bauchi north, defected  from the PDP to the APC.

On October 8, Kelvin Chukwu, senator representing Enugu east, defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the APC, citing internal crisis within his former party.