From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has dismissed claims of a faction within its state chapter.
The South-South zonal leadership, led by Chief Dan Orbih, recently dissolved the Solomon Agwanana-led State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP in Bayelsa, appointing a caretaker committee under zonal secretary George Turnah.
However, in an interview on Arise TV, PDP spokesman Ebiye Ogoli rejected the notion of a faction, urging the public to ignore such reports. He clarified that Turnah’s group consists of supporters of Nyesom Wike, not a rival PDP faction.
Ogoli stressed that the Bayelsa PDP remains united under Governor Douye Diri, the party’s state leader, with all members following his directives. “Frankly, in Bayelsa state, I want to put the records straight that PDP has only one state Executive Committee (SEC), and one single state working committee (SWC).
“To make the particular matter clear, we have 14 Committee working members at the state level. We equally have 25 assistant working committee members. We have eight local government Chairmen and 17 of their members spread across the eight local government areas. So, we have about 100 of them.
“Then at the ward level, we have about 105 wards, and each of them is made up of 17 members. So all of these people, about 2000 in total, are safe and well, working together as a group.
“We don’t have any other faction. Wike does not have any faction of the PDP in Bayelsa state. Perhaps, he may have supporters, which is common with political leaders.
“But when it comes to PDP, our party has, from the state to the ward level, every one of our members, one single political leader, our governor, that we all follow and take directives from.
“So, to the best of my knowledge, l don’t know where the splinter group is coming from. PDP has just one indivisible family, just one,” he said.