Bayelsa East Seat: ADC candidate Senator Amange denies pact with Jonathan

YENAGOA – THE candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, has deny reports in some quarters that he was being sponsored by former President Goodluck Jonathan to scuttle the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the forth coming general elections in the state.

Senator Barigha-Amange, a founding member of the PDP and a close ally of Jonathan, dumped the party for the ADC after the primaries, citing “undemocratic manner in which the primaries were conducted,” and “hand-picking of candidates,” as reasons for his withdrawal of his membership of the PDP.

In a statement in Yenagoa, Senator Amange stated that it was disrespectful and uncharitable for some people in the state to drag former President Jonathan into the crisis of PDP in the state to score cheap political points under the guise of politics.

He said: ” After the PDP primaries, I voluntarily withdrew my membership of PDP because of the undemocratic manner in which primaries were conducted. The PDP should blame itself for hand-picking its candidates instead of blaming it on others. Those crying foul and insinuating that I am being used by Jonathan to cause political unrest in the PDP is ridiculous and disrespectful.

“The party is already drowning in Bayelsa State and should not apportioned blame on the person of former President Goodluck Jonathan who is internationally recognized as a symbol of democracy. People should desists from using the name of Jonathan to score cheap political points under the guise of politics.”