Bayelsa PDP Crisis: Turnah Dismisses Diri Security Concerns As Baseless

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South zonal secretary, George Turnah, has described security concerns raised by the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, as baseless.

He asserted that there is no intention to cause a crisis in the state in a proposed rally to drum support for President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike.

Naija News reports that Diri had claimed that the proposed rally organised by Wike’s political movement, was part of a plan to disrupt the peace in the state.

Reacting via a statement by his Media Assistant, Kelvin Loveday, Turnah expressed disappointment over Diri’s outburst.

Defending his association with Wike, he assured the Ijaw nation of his respect, loyalty, and commitment as an Ijaw man, stressing that his political group was only interested in mobilising support for President Tinubu’s administration in the Southsouth Zone without ulterior motives.

Turnah kicked against the undue politicisation of the proposed rally, maintaining that ethnicity had no place in politics.

Turnah reminded Diri that the Ogbia leaders and elders he asked to call him to order were the same leaders who, in 2019, requested that he should not support the governor’s ambition at the time, a request he respectfully ignored.

“I am not only a member of the PDP but also a serving Zonal Secretary of the Party in the Southsouth. I don’t know another office the governor is accusing me of occupying if I am truly not a member of the PDP”, he said.

He further expressed surprise at Diri’s anger over his association with Wike, adding that he had the constitutional right to freedom of association.

Turnah commended Diri on his many achievements and pledged his continued support for the prosperity administration led by the governor.

He called on the teeming youths, women, political class across party lines and all lovers of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come out en-masse, and show their appreciation to the President and FCT Minister for their special love for the Bayelsa State and Ijaw nation.