March 31, (THEWILL) – The current face-off between Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike over alleged sponsored state-protest by the Minister took a dimension at the weekend when the South-South Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, George Turnah, insisted on going ahead with the protest.
According to the former presidential aide and ex- staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NNDC, the proposed mega rally in Yenagoa in support of President Bola Tinubu and Wike will hold.
The governor had raised fears about a breakdown of law and order, following the protests that rocked Kalabari in Rivers State after a reception for the Minister by his associates there, recently.
Ignoring the protest, Wike had entered the town with truck- loads of military and para-military men who fired tear gas to scare the protesters from preventing the event to honour the minister.
Fearing a repeat of the protest that marked the event in Abalama, Kalabari land, Governor Diri last Thursday held an emergency meeting with the Bayelsa Elders Council and the 37th session of the State Security Council to alert them of the looming danger.
The governor alleged that the arrow head of the mega-rally, Turnah, had been suspended by the PDP and was therefore fighting back by becoming a willing tool in the hands of those plotting against the peace and progress of the state.
He said that holding a mega-rally at a time the political crisis in nearby Rivers State has polarised the state along ethnic lines would augur badly for Bayelsa State, explaining further that the planned protest fits into the threat by the Minister to cause crisis in PDP controlled states in the country.
Governor Diri warned, “Any attempt to import the Rivers State political crisis into Bayelsa will be resisted. I urge security commanders in the state to be on the alert. Parents and traditional rulers should discourage their wards and children from being used by unscrupulous elements to cause trouble in the state.”
Diri, who insisted that the peaceful disposition of the Ijaws should not be misconstrued for cowardice, said the state would not allow a faceless group to foment trouble in Bayelsa, which is the homeland of all Ijaw people.
“As you are aware, we have threats from our sister state. The political crisis there is threatening us, and we will not allow what is happening there to come into Bayelsa. We had in our party a renegade, who has decided to form a parallel PDP in Bayelsa State, working with an ex-governor.
He accused George Turner of being a part of “The kangaroo PDP South South zonal congress that was rejected by the National Working Committee of our party, and he is threatening the peace of this state.
“This is not Rivers State. Bayelsa is the cradle of every Ijaw man. I have always said that being peaceful is not cowardly. We are very courageous, and we can stand up for the truth at all times.
In his reaction, Media Adviser to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka said that Governor Diri was raising baseless security alarms on a mega rally in support of the Minister, adding that the Minister would have informed security agencies by himself if he was going to attend any rally.
Olayinka in a note to THEWILL, said, “It is so unfortunate that a governor with all the security apparatus available to him could go on national television on mere suspicion of people planning a rally, which is their right to hold.”
He said Nigerians are free to express their support for anyone, anywhere and anytime, asking; “Is this how much the governor is afraid of Wike? Can the governor stop people from holding rallies in the state if they want to?”
Insisting on going ahead with the mega-rally, Turnah described Diri’s claims that the rally was a ploy to instigate crisis in Bayelsa as baseless, insisting that the event is purely a political gathering aimed at mobilizing support for the Tinubu administration.
“The right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly is enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. There is no intention whatsoever to destabilize Bayelsa State,” Turnah stated, adding that the event which is being organized by The New Associates, was designed to formally launch the group on April 12, 2025, peacefully.
He said all necessary notifications have been made to security agencies to ensure a peaceful event.
“The undue politicization of this rally is unnecessary. Ethnicity has no place in politics, and our objective remains clear—supporting President Tinubu’s administration in the South-South,” he said.
Addressing concerns about his role in the PDP, Turnah dismissed suggestions that his position as Zonal Secretary was controversial. He questioned why his appointment as a Bayelsa indigene should be an issue, stating that he remains a committed PDP member.
Turnah expressed surprise at the governor’s criticism of his association with Wike, insisting that he reserves the right to associate with whomever he chooses. Despite the political disagreements, Turnah commended Diri’s developmental efforts in Bayelsa and pledged continued support for his administration.
He called on youths, women, and political stakeholders across party lines to attend the rally in large numbers to express gratitude to President Tinubu and Minister Wike for their contributions to Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation, particularly through the appointment of notable Bayelsans into key positions in the current administration.
In a related development, Governor Diri, has renewed his appeal to President Bola Tinubu to shelve plans of declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State and instead initiate a reconciliation process to resolve the political crisis rocking the state.
Diri, who stressed that the lingering crisis could be resolved through dialogue, reaffirmed that the Ijaw ethnic nationality was not in conflict with the President or the Federal Government.
The governor made the appeal at an emergency stakeholders’ congress of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa.
He urged President Tinubu and the National Assembly to set up a committee of eminent personalities to facilitate peace and restore the duly constituted government in Rivers State.
Diri said, “This is the time for dialogue because the current situation is a lose-lose for the people of Rivers State.I call on Mr. President and the National Assembly to urgently constitute a reconciliation committee to restore peace and reinstate the elected government.”
He recalled that the South-South Governors’ Forum, which he chairs, had earlier advised the President to reconsider his position and embrace dialogue.
“The Ijaw nation has no dispute with the Federal Government or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated emphatically.
Diri emphasised the Ijaw people’s commitment to Nigeria’s unity and progress, highlighting their historical sacrifices for the nation’s stability and development.
In his remarks, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, condemned any attempt to declare emergency rule in Rivers State or suspend the governor, describing such moves as a direct assault on democracy and the people’s mandate.
He decried the continued political marginalization of Ijaws in Rivers State, noting that they had been denied the governorship position for over two decades.
“This is not a partisan matter but a fundamental challenge to our constitutional rights and national democracy,” Okaba said.
Rights activist, Ms. Annkio Briggs, in her keynote address, underscored the need for the Ijaw people to safeguard their legacy and continue the fight for justice and self-determination.
She praised those who stood by Rivers State since Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s inauguration in 2023, describing their support as true Ijaw unity.
The meeting was attended by notable Ijaw leaders, including Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; former military governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff; former Rivers Governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George; former Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, and several traditional rulers and political figures.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
