Crisis in Bayelsa PDP as South-South zonal secretary, state chairman trade words
Internal crisis is imminent in the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the South-South Zonal Secretary, George Turnah and the state Chairman Mr Solomon Agwanana engage in a war of words.
Since his emergence as the Zonal Secretary at the PDP Zonal Congress in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, the state party leadership had been at daggers drawn with Turnah.
The state party leadership, in a letter dated March 5th signed by Agwanana, the party Secretary, Gesiye Isowo, and Publicity Secretary, Ebiye Ogoli, had accused Turnah of recruiting party officials from the ward, local government, and state levels in a bid to form a parallel party structure and instigate crisis in the party.
The party, therefore, warned party officials of their relationship with Turnah, threatening to sanction those found to be fraternising with him.
However, Turnah in a swift reaction through a statement titled: “Time for Change Has Arrived”, by his media assistant, Kevin Loveday-Egbo declared that the Agwanana-led faction of the party should brace up for an “avoidable transformation within the party’’.
Turnah, who denied any intention to cause division in the party, asserted that Agwanana’s time as party chairman was up, noting that the party had declined due to ‘’’Agwanana’s poor leadership, underscoring the urgent need to rescue it from potential collapse’’.
According to him, the party has been losing committed members to the opposition due to Agwanana’s leadership failure and promotion of factionalism in the party.
Turnah called on Governor Douye Diri not to allow himself to be misled by Agwanana’s deceptive strategies, stressing that the “disappointing turnout’’ of SEC members at its recent meeting was clear evidence of ‘’widespread distrust and dissatisfaction within the party.’’
He sounded a note of caution to party members to urgently unite for action and save the party from further deterioration and work towards restoring its integrity by enthroning authentic leadership that truly represents the interests of the people.
“As leaders of this party, we must save it from Agwanana’s incompetence and ineffective leadership, which lacks fundamental knowledge and skills in party management. If Agwana understood the level of dissatisfaction among party members, he would see that he and his allies have become mere shadows of their former selves. Change is here and it is inevitable,” Turnah added.
He therefore called on leaders of the party in the state and beyond to recognise the critical moment the party has found itself and push for a new direction that prioritises accountability and effective governance.
