Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s close friend, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, has said that his political destiny is not tied to the former President.
Ikiogha, reputed to be one of the long-standing allies of Jonathan, recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State.
He defected to the APC at an elaborate ceremony held at the Community Secondary School, Kpansia open field, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, along with many PDP faithful.
Ikiogha, a former Chief of Staff in the state, was believed to be one of the brains behind the emergence of Seriake Dickson as governor in 2012.
But indications of frosty relationship between Dickson and Ikiogha emerged when Dickson removed him in controversial circumstances as Chief of Staff, Government House. The governor had then redeployed Ikiogha to the Abuja liaison office.
In an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, the former chief of staff said he had decided to jump into the ship of the APC to chart a new political course notwithstanding his friendship with Jonathan.
When asked why he left the PDP for another party when the former President was still in the party, Ikiogha said, “Maybe people are getting it wrong or they are looking at it from a different point of view. Well, I do not have anything against former President Jonathan.
“Our relationship remains very cordial and I feel that my political destiny is not tied to anybody. It is not tied to friendship; it is not tied to even my wife or my mother or my father. You see, yes, here is a man that we started together, we have been able to raise him to the level of the President and he has finished what he needed to do and has come back home. Must I not chart my political course?
“I need to chart a course to take. If, because of him, I was in the PDP and because of him I could not move because he was the President and I needed to give him the support as a friend until he is no longer there, must I continue to be blind to say even if he is no longer there I should remain?
“The point is that I have seen a better association; a place that I feel that I can belong to, exercise my political opinions and make my suggestions for the betterment of the country. I feel that the platform of APC is better for me and if I have not been able to take that decision years ago because of him, now that he is no longer there, what stops me? Nothing, because I cannot continue to tie my destiny to Jonathan.
“My political destiny is different from every other person.”
Ikiogha said he left the PDP because the party was full of deceit and betrayals as well as lack of internal democracy.
On the forthcoming governorship election in the state, the now APC aspirant, said the party would trounce the PDP, whether the PDP fields Dickson or not.
He said, “Well, my prayer is that there should be free and fair elections, campaign and everything; but I know that even though PDP has been on ground for 16 years, APC is sure to win the governorship election. How we would go about it, I may not be able to tell you but all what I know is that APC will carry the day.
“But it also depends on who the APC is presenting. The PDP depends also on who they present. But I am sure that if APC presents a good candidate, it will win by a landslide whether the PDP presents incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson or not.”
He also spoke on his relationship with the APC leader in the state, Timipre Sylva, saying both had cordial relationship.
Ikiogha said, “Well you are aware that I served under Timipreye Sylva as a commissioner twice. We left for APC and for me to go back to APC means that are cordial. We are good.”
“We are birds of a feather, which is why I should go where he is.
“But one thing is obvious; it is good for you to marry two wives to appreciate who is better. When you make political mistakes, you learn your lessons from one point or the other. At the end of the day, it is all about giving a good life to your people if you are not the greedy type.”
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