George Turnah, a known ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been appointed as the chairperson of the caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, located in the South-South region of Nigeria.
This development was announced in a statement released on Tuesday by the PDP South-South Zonal Working Committee. The statement, which was signed by the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Prince Isong, explained that the appointment of a caretaker committee in Bayelsa followed the dissolution of the previous State Working Committee due to what the party described as “various acts of gross misconduct” by the dissolved executives.
According to the PDP, a similar action was taken in Edo State, another South-South state, where a new caretaker committee was also put in place to manage the party’s affairs pending further directives. The Zonal Working Committee said both decisions were taken after a careful review of party activities in the two states.
“The Zonal Working Committee took these decisions in the best interest of the Party after a careful review of the activities of the Party in both States, in line with the Constitution of the Party as amended in 2017, particularly Articles 10(1), (f), (g), (k), and (4) as well as Articles 26(2), (a), 27(2) (a and b), 58(1), (a), (c), (i), (j), and 59(1)(f),” the statement said.
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It added that, “The Zonal Working Committee hopes that this bold move will strengthen the Party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in both Bayelsa and Edo States.”
Mr. Turnah, who is currently the South-South Zonal Secretary of the PDP, once served as the Executive Assistant on Public Affairs to the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri. However, he later parted ways with Governor Diri and aligned himself politically with Mr. Wike. Turnah also leads a political platform in the state known as the “New Associates, Bayelsa Chapter,” which had planned a major rally in support of Wike in Bayelsa. That rally was later postponed following tensions between Turnah’s group and the state government.
His appointment as caretaker committee chairperson has drawn attention to Wike’s influence in South-South PDP, especially as political observers believe this is a strategic move by Wike to consolidate his political power in the region.
Before Turnah’s appointment, Governor Douye Diri had declared that Mr. Turnah was no longer a member of the PDP in Bayelsa and strongly opposed the planned pro-Wike rally. The governor raised security concerns, claiming that the event had the potential to disrupt the peace in the state.
“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 to Bayelsa State,” Governor Diri said last month while addressing the issue.
He urged security agencies in Bayelsa to be on high alert and warned that any attempt to bring the political tension from Rivers State into Bayelsa would be strongly resisted.
However, Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, dismissed Governor Diri’s warning, saying it was unnecessary. According to him, Nigerians have the constitutional right to gather and support any political figure they choose, regardless of location.
“People have the right to show their support for whoever they want, anywhere and anytime. The governor’s alarm over a peaceful rally is baseless,” Mr. Olayinka said.
The rivalry between Wike and Governor Diri is seen as part of a wider political struggle in the South-South. What is now known as Bayelsa State was part of Rivers State until 1 October 1996, when it was carved out by the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha. The two states share many cultural and political ties, and developments in one often affect the other.
Mr. Wike, who served as the Governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, is currently embroiled in a power struggle with his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Their disagreement over the control of political structures in Rivers State has become a major topic of national political discussion and has sparked widespread concern about political stability in the region.
The situation reached a peak when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State as tensions between Wike and Fubara escalated. This move was condemned by several prominent political leaders across the country, including Governor Diri, who has accused Wike of fueling the crisis.
With Turnah’s appointment as caretaker chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa, analysts believe Wike’s influence in South-South PDP has grown stronger, especially as the region prepares for the next election cycle. The political battle for control within the PDP appears to be shifting beyond Rivers State, now casting its shadow over Bayelsa as well.
The appointment of a known Wike loyalist to a key position in Bayelsa’s PDP structure has raised questions about the future direction of the party in the state and whether Governor Diri can maintain his grip on local party politics.
As tensions continue to rise, it remains to be seen how the PDP national leadership will respond and whether efforts will be made to reconcile the warring factions or allow Wike’s influence in South-South PDP to continue reshaping the party’s internal dynamics.
