April 21, (THEWILL) – A fresh controversy has erupted over the relocation of the Kolo Creek Rural Development Authority (RDA) headquarters from Kolo community to Emeyal II, both in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Kolo is the hometown of Mr George Turnah, a former aide to Governor Douye Diri, who recently fell out with the governor and pledged allegiance to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The Kolo Creek RDA is one of the unrecognised local councils created by former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha in 2000.
However, protests have broken out in Kolo community following the state government’s decision to relocate the RDA headquarters to Emeyal II, with residents accusing the government of political victimisation linked to the rift between Turnah and Diri.
The people alleged that the move to sideline Kolo community because of Turnah’s political stance was unfair and warned that it could spark an unnecessary crisis.
They also criticised reported plans by the state government to approach the National Assembly for the creation of a new local government area—Ogbia North—out of the existing Kolo Creek RDA, with Emeyal II proposed as the headquarters, despite Kolo being the headquarters of Ogbia Constituency III.
Chief Solomon Aginaye, First Deputy Agholo (King) of Kolo Kingdom, said the people had expressed their grievances through peaceful protests, describing the relocation as an orchestrated attempt to marginalise Kolo community.
He lamented that despite Kolo’s support for Governor Diri’s first and second term bids, the community has not benefitted significantly in terms of projects or appointments.
Aginaye appealed to Governor Diri to place the overall interest of the state above personal political differences.
“The people are calling on President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to intervene and stop the evil orchestration by the Diri administration. We demand that Kolo be reinstated as the headquarters of Kolo Creek RDA and recognised as a full-fledged local government area, contrary to the fraudulent proposal renaming it Ogbia North,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Diri, during a meeting with representatives of Kolo and Emeyal communities at Government House, said the gathering was aimed at ensuring law and order in Ogbia Constituency III amid the controversy.
Diri clarified that Kolo remains the headquarters of the RDA and attributed the confusion to the late receipt of the Federal Government’s notice on the creation of new local government areas, which forced the state government into rushed decisions.
He stressed that no new councils have been created yet, noting that historically, civilian administrations have struggled to establish new local governments.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
