‘If The Governor Wants To Support The President, He Will Say So’ – Diri’s Spokesperson

The Bayelsa State Government has dismissed calls for Governor Douye Diri to openly declare support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, insisting that no one can force the governor to take a political stance prematurely.

Speaking in an interview with Premium Times, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Daniel Alabrah, said Diri would not be pressured into making political declarations that do not align with the interest of the Bayelsa people.

Alabrah said, “At the appropriate time, if the governor wants to support the president, he will say so. He is a very courageous man. He will speak at the right time.”

Naijaonpoint reports that he insisted that Diri would act only when he deems it necessary and in the best interest of the state.

“Nobody can compel him to speak before that time. The governor will only speak when he believes that this is what will serve the interest of Bayelsa State and the people,” he stated.

His remarks come amid growing political pressure from former governor aide, George Turnah, who recently challenged Diri to declare his support or lack of it for President Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Turnah, a former Executive Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Diri, recently defected from the Diri camp to align with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, under whom he is now mobilising support for President Tinubu.

Turnah, who is also the South-South zonal secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been vocal in his criticism of Governor Diri’s political silence, particularly during a pro-Wike rally organised in April by his group, The NEW Associates, in Bayelsa State.

Despite Diri’s clear opposition to the rally and concerns over importing the Rivers political crisis into Bayelsa, Turnah and his supporters proceeded with the event, further escalating political tensions in the state.

Speaking at the rally, Turnah claimed that Governor Diri had benefited more than any other South-South governor from President Tinubu but had failed to show appreciation.

‘The President Did Not Do Any Personal Favour To The Governor’

Governor Diri’s spokesperson, Alabrah, challenged Turnah to explain what he meant when he said that the Bayelsa governor is a beneficiary of the president’s magnanimity.

He said, “From my own understanding, what he was referring to was that the president ensured that there was a level playing field during the governorship election in 2023 in Bayelsa. So is that something that any right-thinking person will call magnanimity? Is it not an indictment of our democracy? Because that is the only thing he is alluding to.

“If you say the governor has benefited from the president’s magnanimity, which means the president would have influenced the election against the governor despite the fact that Bayelsans voted for him?

“When people spread this kind of narrative, what does it tell about our democracy? The president did not do any personal favour to the governor as far as I know. So what is the personal favour that he now has to return that favour by supporting him (the president) in 2027?”

Alabrah said Governor Diri has a “very good relationship” with President Tinubu, only that both leaders belong to different political parties.

The Governor’s spokesman said, “The president belongs to the APC, the governor is a PDP governor. So why would it be the governor who would be shouting about the president when the president is not in his party?

“Are you going to compel somebody to support you? You cannot force somebody to support you. If somebody does not want to vote for you, you cannot force him to vote for you. The truth is that the governor has nothing against the president, and Turnah cannot tell the governor to declare his stance.

“So, every governor in Nigeria must declare whether they are supporting the president or not? Do you have that kind of situation in a democracy? Where does it happen? I am not trying to criticise the president, I am only explaining the ideal situation that we should have. Let it not look like I am talking against the president.

“And look at it, the person that is asking the governor to declare his stance whether he is supporting the president or not, he claims to be a PDP member, he claims to be the PDP South-south zonal secretary.”