Security Agencies Demonstrate Readiness Amid Tension Between Wike And Diri Supporters Over Rally

Security Agencies Demonstrate Readiness Amid Tension Between Wike And Diri Supporters Over Rally

Security agencies in Bayelsa State have conducted a show of force following rising tensions between supporters of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri. The dispute centers around a planned rally in support of Wike and President Bola Tinubu, as well as the inauguration of a political group in Bayelsa.

Governor Diri had earlier expressed concerns that the rally, scheduled for April 12, could incite unrest, particularly given the current political tensions in Rivers State. He warned against attempts to import the Rivers crisis into Bayelsa and urged security commanders, parents, and traditional leaders to prevent any disruptive actions.

Diri also alleged that a faction within the Bayelsa chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), purportedly aligned with a former governor, was attempting to create instability. He criticized this faction for forming a parallel PDP in Bayelsa, accusing it of being part of the discredited PDP South-South zonal congress rejected by the party’s National Working Committee….READ MORE….

In response, George Turnah, the rally’s organizer, dismissed Diri’s concerns, stating that the event is intended solely to show support for President Tinubu and Minister Wike. He clarified that the “New Associates” is a grassroots political movement focused on mobilizing support for Tinubu’s administration in the South-South, not on destabilizing Bayelsa or any other state.

Turnah, who serves as the zonal secretary of the PDP in the South-South, also refuted claims of collaborating with a former governor to cause unrest, emphasizing his legitimate position within the party.

Following the governor’s warning, security agencies, led by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH under the Central Naval Command, staged a show of force in Yenagoa. The exercise involved personnel from the Nigerian Army, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Immigration Service, and Correctional Service.

Commodore Omobamidele Akinbami of NNS SOROH stated that the show of force was intended to reassure residents of Bayelsa that security agencies are vigilant and prepared to maintain peace within the state.