APC chieftain cautions Bayelsa PDP chair against attacks on Diri

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, Festus Daumiebi Sunday, has cautioned the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief George Turnah, against what he described as unprovoked attacks and disrespectful comments against Governor Douye Diri.

Though APC Bayelsa replied swiftly, Sunday, however, described Turnah’s recent remarks against the governor as dishonourable, condemnable and inconsistent with the cultural values of the Ijaw people.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the APC chieftain urged the PDP chairman to stop personal attacks on Diri and embrace issue-based political campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said, “The recent unguarded statements by Mr George Turnah MON against the person of Governor of Bayelsa State are totally dishonourable and condemnable.

“It is not only bad that Turnah has made disparaging His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, the symbol of Bayelsa State, his stock-in-trade, but it is worse when he carries on with a swagger as though he is doing the work of God.”

Sunday, who contested against Diri for the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District seat in the 2019 general election, said political disagreements should not translate into personal insults.

He recalled that despite being opponents in the 2019 senatorial election and the 2020 governorship election, he had never insulted the governor during his campaigns or public engagements.

“I was the APC Bayelsa Central Senatorial District candidate that contested against His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, in the 2019 general election. It was a keenly contested election preceded by issue-based campaigns and was done without insults on persons.

“I challenge anyone who can come up with evidence of statements credited to me where I insulted my then opponent, who is the current Governor of Bayelsa State.

“I was also a principal actor in the Bayelsa State APC in the 2020 governorship election against the incumbent governor, and in all my public and private communications and campaigns, I did not ever insult the person of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri.

“That is how politics should be played,” he said.

The APC chieftain also dismissed suggestions that the ruling party needed the support of the proposed Rainbow Coalition or the PDP to deliver President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election.

He claimed that the APC had established structures across the state’s eight local government areas, adding that other political parties had lost their grassroots appeal.

“In terms of membership, in terms of quality, in terms of structure and in terms of grassroots appeal, only one party, the All Progressives Congress, is on ground in Bayelsa State, while all others exist only in name and on social media.

“More than that, the voters are with the APC as Bayelsans are happy with the Prosperity Assured Administration of Senator Douye Diri,” he claimed.

Sunday described as presumptuous the suggestion that the APC needed a coalition with the PDP to secure victory for Tinubu.

He said, “The claim that the APC in Bayelsa State needs the coalition of your under-the-radar party to deliver His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is presumptuousness taken too far.

“Let no one be deceived. In Bayelsa State, you are either a member of the APC, or you have the APC to contend with at the polls.

“No other political party would be able to poll 15 per cent of the total votes on election day in Bayelsa State.”

He advised the PDP to concentrate on winning its candidates’ seats in the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections, arguing that the party had no presidential candidate.

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On Diri’s defection from the PDP to the APC, Sunday defended the governor’s decision, saying that political support given to a leader should not become an obligation to perpetually do the bidding of those who helped him attain office.

He said, “The point should also be made that every man is helped one way or the other by another man. Those who are claiming to have made the Governor of Bayelsa State who he is today should know that others or another also made them who they are.

“In all fairness, at the level of a governor, it is not reasonable to expect a sitting governor to always do the bidding of those who helped him to power.

“So where the governor of Bayelsa took the decision to come to APC, which decision did not go down well with those that helped him to power, should not be an eternal crime.”

The APC chieftain further argued that Diri’s defection was justified by the prevailing political circumstances, noting that some of those who criticised the decision had also left the PDP.

Sunday also praised the governor’s peaceful disposition, warning Turnah against taking his restraint for granted.

“Throughout Bayelsa State and beyond, Governor Douye Diri is known for his unrelenting peaceful disposition, advocating for peace, making peace, building peace and maintaining peace in Bayelsa State.

“No governor has demonstrated and shown the high level of an exemplar of peace in Bayelsa State.

“I urge Turnah MON not to take the governor’s peaceful disposition for granted,” he said.

He also appealed to leaders in Ogbia Local Government Area, where Turnah hails from, to call the PDP chairman to order.

“I know the respectful and courteous disposition of the people of Ogbia LGA where Mr George Turnah MON hails from. We have leaders in Ogbia that have the capacity to call Mr George Turnah MON to order.

“The big question is why are they not doing it?” he queried.

Sunday recalled the controversy generated when a former Bayelsa governor described the six-year presidency of former President Goodluck Jonathan as “wasted six years”, saying Bayelsans had strongly condemned the remark.

He said the incident demonstrated the importance the people attached to respect for political leaders, irrespective of party differences.

The APC chieftain further maintained that Ijaw culture forbade disrespect for elders, even during political disagreements.

“There is nothing wrong craving the headlines, but everything is bad insulting and concocting charges in the media against the governor of your state and someone more than old enough to be your father in the name of politics.

“We are Ijaw people. Culture forbids it, nature abhors it, even in the face of provocation,” he said.

He urged Turnah to desist from personal attacks against Diri and concentrate on issues he could substantiate with evidence.

Sunday added, “Mr George Turnah MON should desist, forthwith, the unprovoked attack on the person of the governor, and centre his campaign on issues that he must be able to substantiate, if the need arises.”

He maintained that Diri, beyond being governor, was also a political leader from Bayelsa Central Senatorial District who deserved respect from political actors across the state.