Group urges Bayelsa PDP to stop marginalisation of Koluama 1 in Southern Ijaw

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenogoa

A support group within Bayelsa chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday urged party leadership to ensure equity and balance in the distribution of political opportunities at Koluama 1and 2 communities of Southern Ijaw LGA.

The group, Concern Youths of Koluama 1 (CYK1) alleged persecution, marginalisation and hijack of benefits accrued to the area by desperate politicians from the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Chief Timi James, Coordinator of the group, said in a statement issued on Monday in Yenagoa urged Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa who is leader of the party to call his lieutenants in the party hierarchy to order to ensure unity and cohesion in Southern Ijaw.

The group also accused Senator, representing Bayelsa Central at the National Assembly, Sen Moses Cleopas, as the brain behind the impending crisis and the orchestrator of the division amongst party members in Koluama 1 and 2 communities.

The group claimed that marginalisation by Cleopas and some of his cronies from Koluama 2 community was causing disenchantmen amongst faithfuls of the PDP in Koluama 1, adding that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

They observed that instead of Cleopas and his allies to play leadership role and seek ways of bringing together aggrieved persons in the party, they are moving around and spreading misinformation and propaganda over purported defection of PDP members from Koluama 1.

“We as concerned PDP members will use this opportunity to set the records straight, rather than joining issues to make matter worse in the fold of the party.

“The division caused by Senator Moses Cleopas and some desperate politicians in the community needs urgent attention.

“Ward 17, is made up of Koluama 1, Koluama 2, Tamasuo, Olobia  and Kalawei-Ama. which Koluama 1 has three out of the five communities, but still all juicy and preferred appointments are hijacked by the few persons in Koluama 2, without recourse to others.

“One of such desperate moves is the  just concluded successful election of the Keffes Rural Development Foundation (KRDF), in which a winner emerged but since the loser was a nephew to the Senator, he resorted to use security operatives against the winner in a bid to install the loser.

“The winner Mr. Sele Mathew, is a card carrying member of the party which stands as the only reasonable position held by an indigene of Koluama 1, but still they won’t let him be, in order to stop us from benefitting anything and the people are unhappy.

“All what the people of Koluama 2, are doing is just for their selfish interest and not in the interest of the party, and we want to state clearly that whatever illegality they are planning will be resisted totally and nobody can intimidate us in this.

“We therefore call on the Governor of the State, Senator Douye Diri, and stakeholders of the party to intervene and call Senator Cleopas and those involved to order.

“How can you be hellbent on installing your nephew who lost an election, but if the government still keeps mum on the matter, we will say no problems but we have options.

“They should be told that illegal actions causing internal wrangling can also push members of the party to look elsewhere for solace if not averted,” the group stated.

When contacted to react on the claims from his constituency, Cleopas declined to speak on the development.