The internal crisis plaguing the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn, as the Southsouth Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) has dissolved the Solomon Agwanana-led State Working Committee (SWC).
Following this move, the ZWC appointed its Zonal Secretary, George Turnah, to head a caretaker committee charged with managing the party’s affairs in Bayelsa.
The decision came after a meeting held at the PDP Zonal Secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.
In a statement issued shortly after the meeting, Zonal Publicity Secretary Prince Etim Isong said the dissolution was due to “gross misconduct and inability to contain the internal crisis rocking the party in Bayelsa.”
The ZWC also announced changes in Edo State, replacing former caretaker chairman Tony Aziegbemi with Nosa Ogieva.
According to Isong, the new appointments were necessary to safeguard the party’s integrity and performance. He stated:
“The decision to set up Caretaker Committees for both States follows the dissolution of the State Working Committee of Bayelsa State and the Caretaker Committee in Edo State on account of various acts of gross misconduct by the dissolved Executives which are in clear breach of the party’s constitution, the poor performance and woeful outing by the party in Edo State at the last governorship elections, and the poor handling of internal crisis rocking the party in both states.”
He further emphasized that the actions taken were in line with the party’s constitution.
“The Zonal Working Committee took these decisions in the best interest of the Party after a careful review of the activities of the party in both states in line with the Constitution of the Party as amended in 2017, particularly Articles 10(1),(f),(g),(k), and (4) as well as Articles 26(2),(a), 27(2)(a&b), 58(1),(a),(c),(i),(j), and 59(1)(f),” he said.
Isong expressed hope that the new caretaker teams would provide stability and restore effective leadership in the two states.
“The bold move by the ZWC would strengthen the party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in Bayelsa and Edo states,” he said.
The newly constituted caretaker committee in Bayelsa includes Tony Gabriel as Deputy Chairman; Ebilade Ekerefe, former Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) spokesman, as Secretary; and Didi Ebiekake Werilaghebofa as Vice-Chairman for Central. Others are Andy Majors, Vice-Chairman East; Evelyn Bolouebi Odi, Vice-Chairman West; and Biobelemoye Ogoniwari, Treasurer.
In Edo, the committee will be led by Chief Sunny Okomayin as Deputy Chairman, with Hilary Otsu serving as Secretary.
Other members include: Nose Iseleomon as Vice-Chairman South, Ehisota Oriakhi as Vice-Chairman Central, Richard Ehimigbai as Vice-Chairman North, and Benjamin Ehinlebodiaye as Treasurer.
