The political crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be spilling into Bayelsa State as Governor Douye Diri has openly opposed a planned rally in support of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. The event, which was scheduled to take place in Yenagoa, has sparked tension, with the governor citing security concerns as the reason for his opposition.
The planned gathering, organized by a faction loyal to Wike under the banner of the NEW Associates, was set to take place on Saturday. However, Governor Diri raised alarms over potential disruptions to the peace in the state, warning security agencies, community leaders, and traditional rulers to be on high alert. According to him, the rally could lead to unnecessary political strife, especially considering the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, where Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, have been locked in a prolonged power struggle.
Diri further justified his stance by referencing the suspension of George Turnah, a prominent Wike supporter and the South-South PDP Secretary. The governor alleged that Turnah had been working to create divisions within the Bayelsa chapter of the PDP. He maintained that the state government would not allow external influences to destabilize Bayelsa’s political landscape.
Reacting to Diri’s comments, Wike’s camp dismissed the governor’s concerns as unfounded. In a statement posted on X, Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, dismissed the claims, suggesting that the Bayelsa governor was overreacting. He asserted that Wike had no immediate plans to visit Bayelsa but insisted that if he wanted to, no one—including Governor Diri—could prevent him.
Olayinka further criticized Diri’s approach, arguing that the governor was attempting to stifle political activities out of fear. He recalled how Diri had once sought Wike’s political support, only to turn against him later. According to him, the governor’s resistance to the rally was merely an attempt to conceal his own shortcomings in governance.
The dispute comes amid broader political turbulence in the South-South region, particularly in Rivers State, where President Bola Tinubu recently suspended Governor Fubara and his deputy amid the deepening crisis. The unfolding events in Bayelsa highlight the continuing struggle for influence within the PDP and the widening rift between its key stakeholders.
