Nigeria, Dec. 16 -- Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the 60-year-old deputy governor of Bayelsa State, who passed away on Thursday, 11 December, was a faithful member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) till death.

Some five years ago, such a description of any Nigerian politician would not have held much significance. But not so today. With the way the PDP politicians - governors, senators, House of Representatives members, and others - are hurriedly leaving the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), staying faithful to the PDP, especially when you are a subordinate to a governor who has switched parties, could be viewed as a virtue.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo refused to follow Governor Douye Diri when the latter defected, along with other s...