Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has dismissed reports of a PDP congress held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, insisting that the national leadership which rejected it would set a new date.
Diri spoke on Monday – yesterday, March 3 – at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, even a support group, ‘Conference of Professionals in the PDP’ urged members of the former national ruling party to save PDP from what it described as ‘imminent collapse’.
The Conference of Professionals in the PDP made the call in Abuja on Monday – yesterday, March 3 – in a statement issued by its Protem National Coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, who warned that the appeal became necessary after an extensive review of the current state of affairs in the party.
According to Nwachukwu, as professionals and patriotic members of the party, they could no longer continue to fold their hands while some members seemed to be working specifically to destroy the party.
Speaking at the SEC meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, Diri said: “Our party is thriving in Bayelsa State. We remain the party to beat. PDP has never lost here. If you seek relevance, you should join PDP.
“PDP in Bayelsa is united and cannot be weakened. This party produced a Nigerian president from our state. It has also produced governors and federal legislators.
“This party is strong at the state level and will remain so. Let us ignore rumours. Some aim to divide us, but they will not succeed.”
Insisting that no zonal congress took place in the South-South, Diri said the national leadership of the party, in consultation with zonal leaders, would determine a new date at the right time.
The Governor assured that the PDP in Bayelsa remains intact and is the best platform for politicians aiming to achieve their ambitions, reiterating that PDP in Bayelsa had produced key office holders, including a former Nigerian president, and remains dominant in Bayelsa politics.
He urged members to stay united and avoid distractions, emphasising the need for collective efforts to strengthen the party in the state.
Diri further explained that the South-South zonal congress, initially scheduled for Feb. 22, was postponed by the National Working Committee, disclosing that the decision followed a request from the four South-South Governors, who informed the party’s leadership that the date was unsuitable.
Meanwhile, the people of Ogbia Local Government have apologised to the Governor and the party for the actions of the suspended Zonal Legal Adviser, George Turnah.
Speaking at the meeting, Ogbia Constituency 3 representative, Gabriel Ogbara, said the apology was necessary, as betrayal is not in the character of Ogbia people.
Ogbara described Turnah’s actions as regrettable and pleaded for forgiveness, reaffirming Ogbia’s loyalty to the party and its leadership.
The State Executive Council passed a vote of confidence in Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, affirming their leadership.
The motion was moved by Oforji Oboku, representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, and seconded by the State Assembly Leader, Monday Obolo.
Earlier, State PDP Chairman, Solomon Agwana, had praised Diri’s administration, citing its numerous development projects across Bayelsa as evidence of good governance.
Agwana commended the governor for fostering unity within the party and urged continued support for the administration to ensure further development in the state.
State PDP Secretary, Gesiye Isowo, also lauded Diri’s achievements, stating that his performance has made future election campaigns easier, given the many completed projects.
In attendance were the deputy governor, and Ogbia Federal Constituency representative, Rep. Mitema Obordor.
Also present were former deputy governors Rear Adm. Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd) and Werinipre Seibarugu, alongside PDP South-South Zonal Secretary, Prof. Felix Omemu.
Local government chairmen and other key party stakeholders also participated in the meeting.
Save PDP from imminent collapse, support group urges members
Lamenting the deepening leadership crisis in the PDP, the Conference of Professionals in the PDP’s Nwachukwu accused some members of the party of working as agents of the opposition parties and allegedly giving out strategic information concerning the party.
Noting that such individuals are attempting to set themselves above the party, while denigrating the organs of the PDP, Nwachukwu accused them also of stoking disagreements within the party’s structures, instituting damaging litigations and procuring injurious judicial pronouncements.
“They are boisterously making caustic and inciting utterances which breed confusion, undercut the fabrics of our great party and tend to destroy its capacity to contest elections.
“Today, our party is dangerously hemorrhaging and being weakened from carrying out its role as a viable opposition party which Nigerians are relying on to rescue our nation from the grip of the APC.
“Against this backdrop, the conference demands immediate and drastic actions to sanitise the PDP, protect, preserve and defend the party and our democracy from further onslaught,” he stated.
The conference demanded that all PDP members who had taken up appointments at any level in the APC administration, to immediately resign their positions in the APC government or be expelled from the PDP, including the former Governor of Rivers and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Urging Wike to choose between the PDP and the APC administration, Nwachukwu said: “The conference finds it incongruous and unexplainable that an individual who claims to be a leading member of the PDP, as a member of the opposition party, is at the same time serving as a top cabinet minister in the APC administration.
“The people will be there propagating, promoting and defending the policies and programmes of the ruling party and at the same time professing loyalty to the APC administration.
“They even endorse President Bola Tinubu for re-election in 2027 against the ambition, objective and aspiration of the PDP.”
Nwachukwu also called on the PDP National Working Committee to immediately set the path for reinvigorating the party by ensuring that it convenes the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting already scheduled for March 13, noting that the NEC meeting would give the party the much-desired sense of direction on issues confronting it.
Calling on members to set aside personal, group or sectional interest and put the PDP’s constitution, governing principles, core values and interest of Nigerians above every other consideration, the protem national coordinator of the ‘Conference of Professionals in the PDP’ expressed the group’s commitment to the unity, stability and success of the former national ruling party, as all committed members work together to reposition the party as a major opposition party poised to take back power in 2027.
