Bayelsa – Organisers of the mega rally scheduled to be held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on April 12, in solidarity with President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have said the event will go on as scheduled.
They decried what they termed as a misinterpretation of the judgement of the Bayelsa State High Court which had earlier issued an order restraining a rally in the state.
Addressing a press conference on Friday in Abuja, one of the organisers and South-South Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, George Turnah, insisted that the court judgment did not affect the planned rally.
Turna said contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the planned event being organised by a group under the aegis of New Associates, is not for the purposes which the court restrained. Rather, he explained that the event “is for the purpose of inaugurating a group called and known as the New Associates, Bayelsa State Chapter, and then to thank and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa State into positions of trust in the country.”
He said: “Our rally, as we have said and made public, is for the purpose of inaugurating a group called and known as the New Associates, Bayelsa State Chapter, and then to thank and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Thinibu for appointing notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa State into positions of trust in the country. That is the purpose. It is not the purpose that this court’s order captures.
“In fact, the purpose for which we want to hold our rally is not captured in this order. So if you look at the order, gathering, meeting, holding, organising, doing rally is not included in this order.
“And we are not going to do any rally for the purposes that the court has listed. So we are going ahead. We are going ahead.
“When you look at it (order), it’s just like saying ‘Don’t hold press conference in Cubana Hotel for the purpose of listening to George Turner.’ It doesn’t stop practitioners from holding press conference in Cubana for the purpose of listening to Jeremiah.
“So we are going ahead. Any day we see an order of court stopping us from holding rally for the purpose of appreciating and solidarizing with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and for the purpose of inaugurating the Bayelsa State Chapter of the New Associates, we will know what to do, to comply and follow the law. But as of today, there is no order of court stopping the purpose for which our rally of 12 April is called.”
He said contrary to insinuations, “There was no time that we as a group, gave out a notice that we are going to host Minister Wike.”
“Let me say it clearly, the purpose for which we planned our programme in Bayelsa State on the 12th is to inaugurate our group, the New Associate, and to hold a mega rally in solidarity and appreciation of Mr. President for his magnanimity towards the whole of Bayelsa State, particularly in appointing our sons and daughters into positions of trust. Of course, you know very certainly that the Head of Service of the Federation was appointed. And now a number of these appointments are facilitated by a friend of Bayelsa and a friend of the Ijaw people, which is Minister Nyesom Wike.
“So, while thanking Mr. President, we will also say thank you, Wike, for recommending and trusting that this class of persons can contribute to helping Mr. President deliver on his mandate,” he added.
He explained that “Wike, as of today, is not in our plans or programme to be in Bayelsa. We have not even extended invitations to Wike to come.”
Speaking further, the politician said: “If Wike is to visit any state of this federation, mind you, Wike is not just any minister, but minister of the FCT and has almost a near status of a governor. FCT has an SSS director. FCT has a police commissioner. Once Wike is going anywhere, the institution will act and will operate itself. There will be a government-to-government communication.
“So, all the noise you hear about Wike coming here, Wike coming here, they are politics and it ought not to be. And then introducing ethnicity to it is something that even journalists should rise against.
We can’t survive like that in this country. The constitution must remain supreme and we all owe a duty to promote that constitution and ensure that it remains supreme.”
As if the Governor was informed about the intention of the rally, he said: “We don’t owe the governor and it’s a private group. We don’t owe him, we are not inviting him, so we don’t need to inform him.”
By Damilola Adeleke | April 4, 2025
Adeleke Damilola (ACTION) is a versatile content writer with expertise in news writing and a seasoned media professional and broadcast specialist. Currently serving as News Editor for DNews Info, Damilola is also the CEO of the ACTION brand, committed to shaping lives and establishing a legacy of excellence for present and future generations.
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