Tension As Pro-Wike Group Takes Over PDP State Executive Committees In Bayelsa, Edo

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Tuesday as the party’s Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) announced the sacking of the State Working Committee Committee (SWC) in Bayelsa and Edo states.

The ZWC took the decision during its meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The ZWC, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the Solomon Agwanana-led SWC was dissolved for gross misconduct and inability to contain the internal crisis rocking the party in Bayelsa.

Consequently, the ZWC has appointed its Secretary, George Turnah, as a caretaker committee chairman to run the affairs of the party in Bayelsa.

A statement signed by the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Prince Etim Isong, said the ZWC also replaced the Edo State PDP Caretaker Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi with Nosa Ogieva.   

Song said the appointments of the caretaker committees for Bayelsa and Edo states “were in the best interest of the party.”

Isong said, “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. 

“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 added that the “bold move” by the ZWC would strengthen the party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in Bayelsa and Edo states.

Other members appointed into the new caretaker committee in Bayelsa are Tony Gabriel, Deputy Chairman; Ebilade Ekerefe, Secretary; and Didi Ebiekake Werilaghebofa, Vice-Chairman- Central.

Others are Andy Majors, Vice-Chairman, East; Evelyn Bolouebi Odi, Vice-Chairman, West; and Biobelemoye Ogoniwari, Treasurer.

The new Caretaker Deputy Chairman for Edo State, is Chief Sunny Okomayin, while Hilary Otsu is the Secretary, with Nose Iseleomon as Vice-Chairman South.

Others in the Edo caretaker committee are Ehisota Oriakhi as Vice-Chairman Central, Richard Ehimigbai as Vice-Chairman North, and Benjamin Ehinlebodiaye as Treasurer.

The sacking of the committees is a continuation of the power tussle between Wike and the Bayelsa State Governor, Diri Douye on the one hand, and the national leadership of the PDP on the other.

Recall that the party’s national leadership had, a few weeks ago, disowned the Wike-backed Zonal Working Committee. The party had fixed a date for congresses to elect new leaders for the ZWC. But the congresses was postponed at the last minute and no new date has been fixed for the exercise.

Tension As Pro-Wike Group Takes Over PDP State Executive Committees In Bayelsa, Edo is first published on The Whistler Newspaper