The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Nimi Barigha Amange, was not a member of PDP and so could not have defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as claimed.

State Chairman of the PDP, Moses Cleopas, said in a statement that Amange ceased to be a member of the PDP shortly before the February 23 National Assembly elections when he defected from the PDP to join the African Democratic Congress.

Cleopas explained that Amange defected from the PDP to the ADC to contest against the PDP when he failed to secure the senatorial ticket of the party for Bayelsa East Senatorial District and Amange’s claim that he defected from the PDP to the APC because of Governor’s Dickson’s style of leadership was a mischievous attempt to create the false impression of an implosion within a party that is stable.

Cleopas said that the Bayelsa PDP was too strong to be bothered by a false defection masterminded by people who are troubled by the strong internal cohesion within the party. He said that before his defection in January, Amange had been the one producing the councilor from his Ward.

He added that Governor who he wrongfully accused of dictatorial tendencies could not identify the PDP candidate for Nembe local Government in the last local government chairmanship election, West Alalibo, until his victory.

Cleopas added Amange surreptitiously sponsored a candidate who lost to the PDP Candidate, Dorcas Kuku, a daughter of PDP Board of Trustees member, Remi Kuku in his Ward in Nembe Local Government Area in the last election