Yenagoa—The leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State, yesterday, said it had alerted law enforcement agencies over the activities of the loyalists of the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, on the alleged formation of a faction of the party in the state.

The political landscape in Delta Central Senatorial District is being charged with the caliber of persons aspiring to replace late Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido in the Senate. Until his death on June 30, 2013, Ewherido, a charismatic and well-endowed politician represented the senatorial district under the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP.

Hon. Fort Ifeanyi Dike, who represents Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives, is the House Committee chairman on Inter and Intra Party Relations. An engineer by profession, he is also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Unlike some of his colleagues who had pitched their tent with the “new PDP” following the crisis in the ruling party, he has not yet taken position. He however told Vanguard in this interview that President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term ambition is the cause of the crisis in the party. Excerpts:

After the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, his successor General Olusegun Obasanjo handed over the responsibility of government to a civilian President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the victorious National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1979. The change of baton which did not happen until after the Supreme Court has ruled, also witnessed the end of army rule since the military coup of 1966.

Three chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Abraka, Delta State, have called on the state government to stop the marginalisation of people of the area.