Admin l Friday, October 19, 2018
YENEGOA, Bayelsa, Nigeria – A political pressure group in Bayelsa, The Ogbia PDP Renaissance has accused some leaders of Ogbia local government area of working against the interest of the party ahead of the 2019 general elections. The group specifically accused a prominent traditional ruler, King A.J Turner and the lawmaker representing Ogbia constituency one in the state Assembly, Mietama Obodor of anti-party activities.
The organisation in a statement issued in Yenagoa and signed by its Chairman, Obhioru Mitanoni, said they have it on good authority that Turner and Obodor are sponsoring candidates in other political parties to challenge PDP candidates. According to the group, sensing that their prefered aspirants were not going to emerge victorious in the just concluded PDP primaries, the duo went ahead to purchase nomination forms in other political parties for their associates.
The group disclosed that also guilty of anti-party activities is the chairman of the State Environmental Sanitation Authority, Chief Robert Enogha and former Special Adviser to the Managing Director of the NDDC George Turnah. They claimed that Turnah who lost in his bid to clinch the PDP ticket for Ogbia Federal Constituency is backing one Cleric Awudum for the Ogbia constituency two seat of the State Assembly.
The Statement said, “We are raising this alarm because of the emerging political development in Ogbia kingdom which is very disturbing. We want everyone to know that some people who call themselves leaders are working against our collective interest as a party.
“We want our people to know that the likes of King A.J Turner, Hon. Mieteme Obodo, Chief Robert Enogha Ayalla and Barr. George Turnah are all guilty of anti-party activities. These men bought forms for those who lost the PDP primaries to go to other parties to contest against our candidates. We are aware that for George Turnah the man he is sponsoring Cleric Awudum in Accord Party has not even resigned his appointment in the Niger Delta University. Everything is being done to ensure he wins the Ogbia constituency two seat. But we are ready for them.
The Ogbia PDP Renaissance also took a swipe at former President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to call some of the leaders who are his known allies to order, adding that the ex-president is also guilty of the political infractions in Ogbia. The group expressed disappointment that Jonathan was the one who encouraged Chief Nimi Barigha-Amange to contest the Bayelsa East senatorial seat on the plattform of the ADC, having lost the PDP ticket to Blessing Ipigansin.
In the statement, they wondered why the former President who is seen as an arrow head and a political figure will conspire against a party he has benefited so much from as Deputy Governor to being the nation’s number one man. The group stated that they decided to make a public statement and put the leadership of the party on notice to prevail on the errant leaders to retrace their steps otherwise they will be forced to expose more of their hidden agenda.
While maintaining that the allegations levelled against them are not hearsay but verifiable facts, the group stated that the disgruntled leaders are responsible for the gross underdevelopment of Ogbia.
