Bayelsa Pro-Wike Mega Rally: Turnah Makes U-Turn

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Pro-Nyesom Wike factional South South Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, George Turnah, on Friday April 4, 2025, beat a retreat, following his denial of any plans to stage a solidarity rally for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.

The Source reports that Governor Douye Diri had, last week, expressed a opposition to the plan by Turnah and his group to organise a million man rally in the State in support of Wike.

He cited the need to avoid the possibility of exporting the festering Rivers State crisis into Bayelsa as a major reason.

According to Governor Diri, there are high potentials for the breach of  peace and stability should the proposed rally be allowed to be staged at this critical period of the crisis in neighbouring Rivers state .

Rising from an emergency security council meeting last Week, Governor Diri announced a blanked ban on all forms of political rallies, and other related events in the State until there is an improvement on the security situation in the sister-state of Rivers .

However, the Governor’s decision immediately drew the ire of Turnah and his mentor, Wike who  lampooned him.

Turnah and his group, in particular, vowed to go ahead with the rally, questioning how such an event could precipitate the breakdown of law and order.

But at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, the factional PDP South South Zonal Secretary, surprisingly, denied any plans to stage any rally in the Bayelsa State capital for Wike or any other persons.

He accused the Governor of deliberate misinformation with the aim of inciting the people against him.

According to him, the claims by the State Governor that he is putting together a mega rally for Wike in Yenagoa is not only false, but reckless,and politically motivated,.

He  insisted that the claims are part of a well- orchestrated campaign of calumny designed to blackmail and discredit him.

Turnah vehemently rejected any claims and accusations that he, or any group associated with him, has contacted the FCT Minister for any proposed rally.

” It is shocking and deeply irresponsible that Governor Diri would base his claims on an unverified Facebook post without any attempt to verify the authenticity of the information.

“This is a reckless attempt to tarnish my image and incite public resentment against me”, Turnah noted

He expressed regret that Governor Diri could set out on the dangerous mission of destroying  him despite the long history of their relationship.

According to him, his political relationship with the Governor began as far back as 2015 when he made generous financial contributions to the Governor’s bid for a seat in the House of Representatives.

Similarly, Turnah recounted how he solidly stood by  the Governor during the 2023 general elections.

“I have stood by Governor Diri through the years, offering both financial and political support, yet today, he refers to me as “one George Turnah ” as though I never mattered .This is a classic case of political betrayal” he lamented.