From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Tensions are rising in Bayelsa State over the sudden relocation of the Kolo Creek Rural Development Authority (RDA) headquarters from Kolo community to Emeyal II community in Ogbia Local Government Area.
The Kolo Creek RDA was established as a local government area alongside 31 others by former governor Diepreye Solomon Alamiyeseigha’s administration in 2000.
The relocation is reportedly linked to a political rift between George Turnah, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) South-South zonal secretary from Kolo community, and Governor Douye Diri, stemming from Turnah’s allegiance to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The announcement triggered protests, with youths and women from the Kolo community demonstrating against what they perceived as an attempt to marginalise their community for political reasons.
The protesters expressed concerns that the state government might approach the National Assembly to create a full-fledged local government from the existing Kolo Creek RDA, with its headquarters in Emeyal II instead of Kolo, the headquarters of Ogbia Constituency III. They warned that such a move would spark unnecessary conflict in the area.
Chief Solomon Ederi Aginaye, 1st Deputy Agholo, King of Kolo Kingdom, stated that the community’s protests reflect their grievances over efforts to undermine Kolo. He said: “The people are disturbed because the interest of the people of Kolo community was not taken into consideration by those who have made up their minds to ‘gang up against Kolo’.”
Aginaye noted that despite Kolo’s support for Diri’s governorship in his first and second terms, the community has received no significant projects or appointments. He urged Diri to prioritise the state’s interests over personal agendas.
Aginaye further appealed to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Wike to intervene, saying: “The people are calling on President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and Wike to stop the evil orchestration by the Diri administration against peace-loving people of Kolo and reinstate Kolo as the headquarters of Kolo Creek RDA as a full-fledged local government area which has now been fraudulently renamed Ogbia North Local Government Area in the proposal submitted to the National Assembly.”
In response, Governor Diri met with representatives from Kolo and Emeyal communities at Government House, Yenagoa, and called for calm. He clarified that Kolo remains the headquarters of the RDA and explained that the federal government’s notice for creating new local government areas arrived late, leaving the state with limited time to act. Diri stressed that no new councils have been created, noting that no civilian administration has successfully established local government areas in Bayelsa historically.