By Emem Idio
YENAGOA—THE Niger Delta Peace Initiative, NDPI, has accused the Bayelsa State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, of recruiting cultists as part of its preparations for the 2019 general election.

Cross section of supporters at the 2018 All Progressives Congress National Convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida 23/06/2018

The group also alleged that the state leader of the party, Chief Timipre Sylva, was wooing members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the APC.

Meanwhile, reacting to allegations, the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, described the claims as “baseless and irresponsible,” describing the group as a “faceless group which makes baseless, irresponsible and ungodly claims.”
President of NDPI, Diepreye Ayah, in a statement yesterday, said Sylva lured the immediate past Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Ibarakumo Otobo to join the APC after promising him the ticket of the party for the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency.

Ayah said that the APC leader used similar tactics prior to the last governorship election to woo members of the PDP to the APC after assuring them of juicy positions which was never fulfilled, adding that the former governor was currently exploiting the greed of some members of the PDP led state government by promising them tickets for various platform to run in the 2019 elections.

He said political appointees in the current administration who were always complaining of no money in the system should stop being ungrateful but rather be contented that they had jobs and were earning reasonable salaries and called on young people in the state to be careful of their choices alleging that in the APC leader would only use and dump them.