Govs’ reasons for defecting from PDP baseless, untenable – Oyovbaire

Member, Board of Trustee (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, has described the explanations by three PDP governors for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as baseless, illogical and untenable to the doctrines of democratic principles, norms and values.

Oyovbaire, former Minister of Information, and one of the founding fathers of PDP, specifically faulted the defections of Ebonyi, Cross Rivers and Zamfara states governors, Dave Umahi, Ben Ayade and Bello Matawalle, respectively, saying their movements were based on selfish and parochial interests. 

“For me, the only thing I can tell you about this defections is that it is a shame. You look at the reasons Ayade and Matawalle gave for leaving the party to join APC, one cannot help but laugh. As a student or scholar of the process, you will find it more convenient to describe them as jokers and opportunists in their respective government houses.”

He said the governors took the mandates given to them on the PDP platform to another party without any convincing reasons. He accused the three governors of betraying the PDP and those who voted for them based on the party platform.

Oyovbaire stated this in an interview with Daily Sun at his country home in Delta State, yesterday, where he said there was the need for judicial interpretations on the terms and conditions that ought to be followed as specified in the constitution on party defection, especially among political office holders.

While describing the act as a bad omen and setback for the nation’s democracy, Oyovbaire flayed the political class for applauding the governors and those who defected from either PDP or APC, saying such movements were based on selfish and parochial interests, rather than party ideology or wellbeing of the people.