Newly Appointed Bayelsa PDP CTC Chair Unveils Agenda

As the leadership crisis rocking the South-South zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues, the Chief Dan Orbih-led factional zonal executive, during the week, appointed its zonal scribe, Barr George Turnah, as Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the State.
Speaking to newsmen midweek, Barr Turnah said he was delighted over his new appointment as Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in his home state of Bayelsa.
He commended the party’s Zonal Working Committee for finding him worthy to lead the party in the state, pledging to carry out holistic reforms aimed at improving welfare of members of the State Working Committee (SWC), Local Government, and Ward levels.
“My CTC members and I are committed to ensuring the execution of our responsibilities creditably with utmost humility, honesty and respect.
“For me, my primary focus would be to reposition the party to secure victories in all elections in Bayelsa State come 2027.
“We’ll consult with stakeholders on the need for a more suitable state secretariat for the party so that, like others, I’ll not be operating as leader of this great party from the ‘Super Lodge’ in Government House, Yenagoa.
“For the past five years, my predecessor has been operating from the Super Lodge in Government House, making things difficult for party faithful.
“My leadership will prioritise engagement and consultation with stakeholders so as to foster discipline within the party. We’ll maintain an open-door policy aimed at bringing together party faithful for synergy”, Barr Turnah said.
Reacting to the appointment of Caretaker Committee for the state’s chapter of the party, the Mr Solomon Agwanana-led State Working Committee in a statement by its spokesman, Ebiye Ogoli, on Wednesday, maintained that Chief Orbih lacked the powers to dissolve the SWC and appoint a caretaker committee.
The Statement read in part: “Tenure of the former Zonal Executive Committee of the PDP elapsed on the 13th of March, 2025 and in order to avoid a vacuum, a Caretaker Committee was appointed and constituted by the National Working Committee (NWC) on the 13th March, 2025 and headed by Chief Emmanuel Ogidi to oversee the affairs of the party pending the convocation of an elective South South zonal congress of the party.
“Additionally, the National Working Committee (NWC) had equally pronounced the factional Zonal PDP congress which was held in Calabar, Cross River State that produced Chief Dan Orbih and his ilk as unconstitutional and a nullity.
“We also place it on record that the Zonal EXCO of the party, even when it is properly constituted, still lacks the constitutional powers to dissolve a State Working Committee of the party.
“Similarly, the state High Court which sat in respect of the suspension slammed on Mr George Turnah by the State EXCO of PDP is yet to determine the case brought before it and in which case Mr. George Turnah still remains suspended from membership of the PDP in Bayelsa State”.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa