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Diri Warns Against Importing Rivers Crisis Into Bayelsa


Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri has warned that any attempt by some political jobbers to import the Rivers State political crisis into Bayelsa will be resisted.

This was he said that he has gotten a security alert about a plot to breach the peace of the state.

Recall that a group identified as The New Associates had planned to organize a rally in Yenagoa in support of former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike which will be used to drum up support for President Bola Tinubu come 2027.

One of the organisers of the rally and former spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council, Ebilade Ekerefe, disclosed on Thursday that the group has been activated in Bayelsa to galvanize support for President Tinubu in the rural communities.

He said the goal is to ensure the people of South- South are enlightened on the achievements of the current administration of President Tinubu and support his re-election.

The group stated that the event would also be used to inaugurate the group in Bayelsa and unveil its officials.

According to the organisers, the mega rally, aside from drumming up support for President Tinubu, is also geared toward expressing appreciation and solidarity with Wike.

They noted that Wike has been a good leader who deserves to be celebrated for his honesty, bluntness and good leadership.

The organisers stated that as Nigeria moves gradually towards the 2027 election, there is a need to mobilise South- South youths to support the President.

They pointed out that the group, which is grassroots-oriented, was created by Wike to be used as a mobilisation for the President’s re-election.

The organisers added that the rally will be used to showcase the projects that President Bola Tinubu’s government has initiated in the South-South geo-political zone.

He said: ‘’The New Associates is a grassroots-based political movement set in motion by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to mobilise grassroots support across the states of the South- South geo-political zone for the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office come 2027.”

But Governor Diri on Thursday during a security meeting in Yenagoa warned that the state government would not condone any act that would disrupt the peace of the state, advised security commanders, youths, elders and traditional rulers to be on the alert.

He warned that a planned mega rally and inauguration of a group loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, was capable of igniting avoidable crisis in the state.

Diri noted that a suspended member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), George Turnah, had been enlisted to create factions in the party in the state.

The governor also stated that holding such event at a time the political crisis in Rivers State had heightened ethnic tensions could degenerate into conflict in the state.

He further stated that the alarm was imperative given that the FCT Minister had threatened to cause crisis in PDP-governed states in the country.

He said: “Any attempt to import the Rivers State political crisis into Bayelsa will be resisted.

“I urge security commanders in the state to be on the alert. Parents and traditional rulers should discourage their wards and children from being used by unscrupulous elements to cause trouble in the state.”

Diri, who insisted that the peaceful disposition of the Ijaws should not be misconstrued for cowardice, said the state would not allow a faceless group to foment trouble in Bayelsa, which is the homeland of all Ijaw people.

“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 into Bayelsa State.

“We had in our party a renegade, who has decided to form a parallel PDP in Bayelsa State, working with an ex-governor.

“The party in our state suspended him for gross misconduct and for now he is not a member of our party in Bayelsa State.

“He was a part of the kangaroo PDP South South zonal congress that was rejected by the National Working Committee of our party and he is threatening the peace of this state.

“This is not Rivers State. Bayelsa is the cradle of every Ijaw man. I have always said that being peaceful is not cowardice. We are very courageous and we can stand up for the truth at all times.

“Every public facility owned by the Bayelsa State government cannot be used except with the express approval of the state government.”

The Bayelsa helmsman enjoined the people to continue to maintain the prevailing peace in the state in order to sustain its development.



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