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Tag: George Turnah

  • Niger Delta feeling Renewed Hope through NDDC, says Turnah

    Niger Delta feeling Renewed Hope through NDDC, says Turnah

    The acting Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), George Turnah, has appraised the performance of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku-led Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) saying the region is feeling the positive impact of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through the performance of the commission.

    Turnah, who spoke shortly after a closed-door meeting with Ogbuku in Port Harcourt said that he had a productive discussion with the managing director and that their engagement was centred on the significant development and infrastructural changes in the Niger Delta under Ogbuku’s leadership.

    Turnah expressed gratitude to Ogbuku for various developmental initiatives undertaken by the NDDC, particularly in Bayelsa State.

    He extended deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Dr. Ogbuku and assembling what he described as the most effective and visionary leadership team in the history of the NDDC.

    He said the Bayelsa State PDP and the people of the state were extremely proud of the remarkable work Ogbuku was doing at the NDDC, especially his efforts to advance the region’s development in ways that were  both unimaginable and unprecedented.

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    Turnah listed some of the bold developmental footprints of the Ogbuku-led management team of the NDDC such as the Light Up Niger Delta solar power scheme, the completion and connecting to national grid of the 132/33KVA electricity sub – station in Ondo State, the completion and inauguration of the Ogbia – Nembe Road in Bayelsa State, the inauguration of the 600 meter Ibeno Bridge in Akwa Ibom State, and the inauguration of the first phase of the 9.8km Abraka – Oben Road in Edo State.

    He also mentioned the projected 2025 completion timeline for the Kaa-Ataba Road in Rivers State; the acquisition of a suitable NDDC office building in Bayelsa State, and the completion of the NDDC International Training Centre, Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area.

    Turnah  lauded the NDDC Youth Internship Scheme, which engaged a record-breaking 10,000 young people across the region, the successful hosting of the Niger Delta summit alongside several other life-changing programmes and infrastructural development projects completed and ongoing across the region.

    Ogbuku, on his part, expressed delight over Turnah’s visit and called for greater partnership, collaboration, and cooperation among political leaders in the region.

  • PDP chieftain George Turnah writes Tinubu over death threats ahead of pro-Tinubu rally in Bayelsa

    PDP chieftain George Turnah writes Tinubu over death threats ahead of pro-Tinubu rally in Bayelsa

    The Southsouth Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), George Turnah, has raised alarm over threats to his life, following plans to host a mega rally in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on April 12.

    In a letter titled “My Life and That of My Family in Grave Danger, We Need Protection,” addressed to President Tinubu, Turnah expressed fears for his safety, attributing the threats to his political rift with Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.

    Turnah said tensions escalated after he distanced himself from Governor Diri upon discovering the governor’s alleged involvement in efforts to form a coalition party against President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

    Reaffirming his political stance, Turnah declared his support for equity, justice, and fairness, insisting that President Tinubu should be allowed to complete the South’s eight-year term, just as former President Muhammadu Buhari did for the North.

    He also disclosed his alignment with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, under the political movement known as The NEW Associates.

    He explained that the New Associates is the grassroots based pro-Tinubu group, that drums support for the President by highlighting his key achievements.

    Turnah said the group scheduled the inauguration of its Bayelsa State chapter on April 12 along with a mega rally in solidarity and appreciation of President Tinubu’s administration and developmental strides in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region as well as the appointment of notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa into positions of trust in the federation.  

     Turnah, a former Executive Assistant on Public Affairs & Social Orientation to Bayelsa Governor, said because of the rally, Diri had publicly called him out during a State Security Council and Bayelsa Elders Forum meetings labelling him an enemy of Bayelsa and Ijaw nation for proposing a rally to honour Mr President and the FCT Minister on Ijaw soil.  

    He said to clarify the purpose of the rally, he had addressed a press conference to address issues while affirming his commitment to support President Tinubu’s vision for Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation.

    He, however, said that despite his clarification, the threats to his life increased because of the redirection of his loyalty to Wike and the plan to organise the rally.

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    He said: ” I have faced threats to my life from loyalists of Governor Douye Diri. A supporter of the governor had openly boasted in a Facebook post that my actions were ‘a death trap’. This is a clear indication of an assassination plot by the Diri administration, especially since the administration has not condemned such a statement by a supporter.

    ‘’Since this threatening event, my family and I have moved out of our home in Yenagoa and are currently taking refuge in an undisclosed hotel. We do not have the financial capacity to sustain this lifestyle or afford the services of security guards.

    “The situation is taking a toll on the mental health of my wife and children. Therefore, I urgently appeal for your intervention and protection for myself and family.

     ‘’Given the current political climate and increasing tension within our party dynamics, I respectfully urge you to take appropriate measures to ensure my safety and the safety of those who stand with me. It is of utmost importance that leaders can express their beliefs without the fear of intimidation and violence’’.

  • Wike’s mega rally for Tinubu can’t ignite crisis in Bayelsa, PDP’s scribe replies Diri

    Wike’s mega rally for Tinubu can’t ignite crisis in Bayelsa, PDP’s scribe replies Diri

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South zonal secretary, George Turnah, has told Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri, that there is no intention to cause crisis in the state in a proposed rally to drum support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    Turnah dismissed the security concerns raised by Diri describing it as baseless.

    He also defended his association with Wike, saying “there is a right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly in Nigeria”.

    Diri had during a recent meeting with Bayelsa Elders raised the alarm that the proposed rally organised by the Wike’s political movement, The New Associates, in Yenagoa was part of the plan to instigate chaos in Bayelsa.   

     But Turnah  in a statement by his Media Assistant, Kelvin Loveday, expressed disappointment over Diri’s outburst, insisting that there was no intention to destabilise Bayelsa.

     He assured the Ijaw nation of his respect, loyalty, and commitment as an Ijaw man, stressing that his political group was only interested in mobilising support for President Tinubu’s administration in the Southsouth Zone without ulterior motives.

    He explained that  the New Associates would be officially launched in Bayelsa on April 12, 2025, adding that arrangements had been concluded to ensure a hitch-free outing, including formal notifications to relevant security organizations in the state as required by law.

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    Turnah kicked against the undue politicisation of the proposed rally, maintaining that ethnicity had no place in politics.

     On his election as the PDP Zonal Secretary, he queried why it was problematic if he occupied a position meant for a son of the soil of Bayelsa or Ijaw, wondering if he was not qualified to do so. 

    Turnah reminded Diri that the Ogbia leaders and elders he asked to call him to order were the same leaders who, in 2019, requested that he should not support the governor’s ambition at the time, a request he respectfully ignored.

    “I am not only a member of the PDP but also a serving Zonal Secretary of the Party in the Southsouth. I don’t know another office the governor is accusing me of occupying if I am truly not a member of the PDP”, he said.

     He further expressed surprise at Diri’s anger over his association with Wike, adding that he had the constitutional right to freedom of association.

    Turnah commended Diri on his many achievements and pledged his continued support for the prosperity administration led by the governor.

    He called on the teeming youths, women, political class across party lines and all lovers of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come out  en-masse, and show their appreciation to the President and FCT Minister for their special love for the Bayelsa State and Ijaw nation.

    He said the love was clearly demonstrated through the facilitation and appointment of notable Bayelsans into positions of trust in the renewed hope administration.