Tension In PDP? Diri’s Aide Fires Back – “No One Speaks For The Governor But Him

The Bayelsa State Government has rejected growing pressure for Governor Douye Diri to publicly endorse President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, insisting that the governor will not be coerced into taking premature political positions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In an interview with Premium Times, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, stated that Governor Diri would make any political declaration only when it aligns with the interests of the Bayelsa people.

“At the appropriate time, if the governor decides to support the president, he’ll say so. He is courageous and will speak when the time is right,” Alabrah said.

He emphasized that Diri will not be forced into taking a stance before he deems it necessary. “No one can pressure him. He will act only in the best interest of Bayelsa State and its people,” he added.

The comments come in response to public criticism by George Turnah, a former aide to Diri and now an ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. Turnah recently left the Diri camp and is now mobilizing support for Tinubu under Wike’s political platform.

Turnah, who serves as the South-South zonal secretary of the PDP, has accused Diri of benefiting from Tinubu’s administration but failing to show support in return—especially after organizing a pro-Wike rally in April, which Diri’s government opposed due to concerns about importing Rivers State’s political turmoil into Bayelsa.

Alabrah Fires Back: “What Favour Did the President Do?”

In response, Alabrah challenged Turnah’s claim that Diri had benefited from the president’s goodwill.

“What favour is he referring to? If it’s about the president ensuring a fair election in 2023, then that’s not magnanimity—it’s simply what is expected in a democracy,” Alabrah argued.

He questioned the implication that a level playing field during the election was some form of presidential generosity, asking whether that meant the president could have influenced the vote against Diri.

Alabrah stressed that Governor Diri enjoys a cordial relationship with President Tinubu, despite belonging to opposing parties.

“The president is APC, the governor is PDP. Why should a PDP governor be compelled to publicly support the president of another party?” he asked.

He also pointed out the irony in Turnah, a PDP official, demanding loyalty to an APC president. “Does every governor have to declare who they’re supporting? That’s not how democracy works,” Alabrah concluded.