The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissolved the Solomon Agwanana-led State Working Committee (SWC) of the party in Bayelsa State.
The zonal Publicity Secretary, Prince Etim Isong, in a statement said the South South Zonal Working Committee (ZWC), announced the decision after its meeting at the zonal secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.
He stated that the Edo caretaker committee had also been replaced with new members.
He also announced the appointment of its zonal secretary, George Turnah, a lead convener for new Associates, Bayelsa Group loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to oversee the affairs of the party in Bayelsa as caretaker Chairman for three months.
Isong added that the party after its meeting cited various acts of gross misconduct and poor performance as the reasons for wielding the big stick against the party leaders in Bayelsa and Edo states.
According to him, the appointment of the caretaker committees for Bayelsa and Edo states was in the best interest of the party.
He said: “The decision to set up Caretaker Committees for both states follows the dissolution of the State Working Committee of Bayelsa State and the Caretaker Committee in Edo State on account of various acts of gross misconduct by the dissolved executives which are in clear breach of the party’s constitution, the poor performance and woeful outing by the party in Edo State at the last governorship elections, and the poor handling of internal crisis rocking the party in both states.
“The Zonal Working Committee took these decisions in the best interest of the Party after a careful review of the activities of the party in both states in line with the constitution of the party as amended in 2017, particularly Articles 10(1),(f),(g),(k), and (4) as well as Articles 26(2),(a), 27(2)(a&b), 58(1),(a),(c),(i),(j), and 59(1)(f),’’ he said.
Isong expressed optimism that the bold move by the Zonal Working Committee would strengthen the party’s foundation and ensure effective leadership in Bayelsa and Edo states respectively.
Those appointed into the caretaker committee in Bayelsa State include Tony Gabriel as deputy chairman, former Ijaw Youth Council spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe as secretary, and Didi Ebiekake Werilaghebofa as Vice Chairman, Central.
Others are Andy Majors, Vice-Chairman, East; Evelyn Bolouebi Odi, Vice-Chairman, West, and Biobelemoye Ogoniwari, Treasurer.
Turnah-led New Associates had planned to hold a rally on April 12 in Yenagoa in support of Wike and to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Bayelsa sons and daughters into various political offices in the country.
But the state government oppposed the rally and a state high court issued an order restraining the supporters from hosting such a rally in the state.
