Why I Dumped APC For PDP, Sam Sam Jaja Explains

Former stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Dr Sam Sam Jaja, has thrown light on his recent defection from the APC and return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Last week at his residence in Port Harcourt, Jaja formerly announced his defection and return to PDP in a brief ceremony attended by hundreds of kinsmen, supporters, political associates and other decampees from the APC.
Addressing the crowd that gathered in his compound, Jaja declared that he left APC because he was not happy in the party.
According to him, “I am a person who is happy to produce people and mentor leaders for the society but when it reached the level that I would be in a place and could no longer do anything for the people, I became handicapped to satisfy my people. I was only being given and giving excuses. I knew that my time was up. Instead of staying there and die in silence, I decided to leave and try elsewhere because when you make effort, you’re expected to get something for yourself and your people.
“For nine years”, he continued, “I couldn’t raise one person, nobody from my side could raise head, tell me, how will I be happy? I don’t want to praise myself but I know that I have raised people that have worked well for the state and Nigeria. When I saw that it was not working for me in APC, I decided to leave and return to PDP.After all, that is where I was before. If you cast your net in a particular part of a river, and it catches nothing, you will change position and try elsewhere”.
The Balolo of Opobo said that he did not inform anybody that he was leaving, and was overwhelmed by the magnitude of support and solidarity he had received and the number of supporters that turned up for his announcement.
He declared that the PDP had been a home, and that they won’t be strangers within the fold.
“We have come back home to PDP, we are not visitors. I thank you all as you have decided to join me to return home to PDP. Here, they are liberal”, he told his supporters and stakeholders that thronged his residence.
Jaja further used the opportunity to debunk allegations that he was wooed with money to return to the PDP.
“Nobody called me, I went back myself”, he said, adding, “I decided by myself, sought and found who took me to the governor, and I told him I wanted to return to the fold, the governor received me well”.
He said that allegations had been flying around that he was given N200million, N100million and N50million by several sources.
He, however, declared that what he got from the governor was a vehicle after he noticed the state of the one he was using.
“He saw me and noticed that what I had been driving, even while working for the other side, is a 2004 model Landcruiser that was given to me by an Oyibo man.That day, the governor said I won’t drive that car again. In the past two weeks, I have been going around with him and seeing what he has been doing with Rivers state’s money.If he was giving people money as detractors claim, where would he see the money to execute the projects he has been carrying out?”, he queried.
He said that there was hope for his people in his return to PDP because where the leader goes; he goes with him, adding that when campaigns and elections come, they would prove where the power base and influence would count.
Also speaking earlier, the former spokesperson of APC, who has also left for PDP, Alabo-elect Chris Finebone,declared that APC was dead in Opobo/Nkoro.
“I and our father, Jaja left with the soul of APC in the LGA. Without us, the breathing of the party in Opobo/Nkoro has ceased”.
Other speakers, who publicly dumped APC for PDP at the event, include many officers, especially APC ward leaders and other stakeholders in the area.

By: Gabriel Nwanetanya