By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

A prominent businessman and grassroots mobilizer from Bayelsa State, Mr Richard Akinaka, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to ensure that only people with proven character are allowed to fly the party’s flag in the upcoming general elections.

He regretted that there is a yawning gap of leadership in the oil rich state, lamenting that those vested with positions of authority have abandoned their responsibilities.

Akinaka stated this on Tuesday at the Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP state secretariat, when he visited for his membership revalidation exercise in Yenagoa, where he formally received his PDP membership card and rejoined the Bayelsa State Chapter of the party under the leadership of George Turnah.

Akinaka, a native of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, described Bayelsa State as a PDP state with organic members and structures, adding that those who have jumped ship can best be described as people who have abandoned their biological parents.

His words: “Bayelsa State needs leadership, there is a yawning gap for leadership at all levels n Bayelsa. People who found themselves in positions of authority have forgotten their responsibilities and doing things they way they like . As a patty we must be alive to our responsibilities and make sure we do the right thing.

“If you go to our villages, even the smallest person knows that PDP is Bayelsa and Bayelsa is PDP. Whatever our leaders are doing today, they are doing like people who don’t know their biological parents. The biological party to Bayelsa State is PDP and everything about PDP in Bayelsa State is organic.

“Even those who are in other parties, they have the PDP blood in them. So I want to congratulate us as a party, and especially those of us who have stood by the party in this trying moments because it is in the midst of your trials that you will know those who genuinely loves you as a person.

“And so those of you who are here are the ones who genuinely loves PDP as a party . Everybody here has one option or another to go to elsewhere but .So we must first of all appreciate ourselves for standing by the PDP. And that is why I stand by my brother George Turnah because some have left but he is still here and he is the leader we should recognize.

“My advice for all of us here is to still stand still for this party and do all we can to fill candidates that will help us win elections so that we can enjoy the benefits of our labour. Because in this trying moments, we must understand that these are moments of despair, and we must look up to our best moments of success and how do we get to that point is when we present the best of the best among us as to bring victory to us as a party.

“Beyond that, we must be able to identify people who are willing to provide service. We must identify credible people with proven characters to fly the flag of the PDP, that is the most cardinal thing. If we present people who are not character tested and we fail, we will still find ourselves in where we don’t like.”

In his speech, the Bayelsa State Chairman of PDP, George Turnah, promised to provide effective leadership to ensure victory for the party in the coming elections in the state.

The highlight of the event was the formal presentation of a membership card and party insignia by the state party chairman to Akinaka.The event was attended by PDP state and zonal executives party faithfuls, and supporters drawn from across the State.