The Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Bayelsa state has distanced itself from reports making the rounds that the party teamed up with 12 other political parties to endorse Governor Seriake Dickson for a second term in the upcoming December 5 gubernatorial elections in the state.
It will be recalled that 13 parties under the aegis of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) allegedly endorsed the incumbent governor for another term, citing “verifiable performance in the area of security, infrastructure development and empowerment”.
The parties were listed as ADC, KOWA, PPA, AA, Accord Party, UPN, APA, HDP, YDP, SDMP, Independent Democrat (ID), ACPN and the NNPP.
Stating that the PPA was not consulted, the state chairman of the party, Alex Peretu said the party could not be part of an arrangement it did not know about.
Affirming the party’s membership of IPAC and CNPP, Peretu in a statement issued in Bayelsa state capital, Yenogoa, said: “The attention of the state chapter has been drawn to a publication in some national dailies purportedly stating that PPA was among the 13 political parties that endorsed Governor Dickson for a second term bid.
“The party would like to dissociate itself from the purported endorsement of the governor as we were not consulted before the decision was taken by the leaders of IPAC.
“Even though we do have an excellent working relationship with the governor and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state that does not amount to an endorsement.
“We, therefore, use this medium to admonish our loyal party members to disregard and ignore the publication because it does not express the intention of the party in any form.”