By Nnamdi Ojiego

Six days to the proposed rally in Yenagoa by a group, NEW Associates, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, it is uncertain whether the much-touted event would hold on Saturday in Bayelsa State capital.

The rally is being organized by the group coordinated by George Turnah, a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

Apart from an injunction given by a High Court stopping the event, strong divisions have emerged among the organisers.

Already, some organisers of the rally are pointing accusing fingers over how money earmarked for the event is being managed.

Apart from Abuja based politicians allegedly funding the rally, leaders of federal agencies who are from the Niger Delta region are also contributing money for it.

According to one of the key members of the group, Comrade Ogedengbe, the manner the funds being raised for the rally are being spent has left much to be desired

“We are not happy with the way the money is being spent. We all know how much people are contributing to it and even leaders of federal agencies in the region. We have found out that the group was created out of the name of the minister, Nyesom Ezewon Wike, NEW Associates. My group and others are opting out of the rally, since somebody wants to use others to achieve his own personal political agenda ,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rally suffered another setback as a High Court in Bayelsa presided over by Hon. Justice Uzaka issued an order restraining the organizers from holding the rally generally perceived as capable of disrupting the peace of the state.

In a reaction, however, Turnah vowed to go ahead with the rally in spite of the court order.
Also, all is not well between some PDP leaders in the group, as they accuse one another of trying to monopolise the show.

Sources within the group disclosed that quarrel broke out on its WhatsApp chat platform over disbursement of funds for some activities. Members are calling for transparency in the disbursement of the funds and that the amount so far realized be made known.

Meanwhile, a major rift occurred in the group when a former State Chairman of the PDP, name withheld, dissociated himself from the group after appearing on national television to drum up support for the rally.

He felt angry because some people in the group allegedly shoved him aside in the scheme of things.

He reportedly sent a message to the group’s WhatsApp platform saying: “It doesn’t work this way. Please forget about me. I don’t want to be used and dumped.”

Indications that all was not well with the NEW Associates also emerged on Wednesday when Turnah issued a terse statement that moles had infiltrated the group and that a weeding process had commenced.

At the time of filing this report, there was uncertainty about the April 26 rally following a Yenagoa High Court affirmation of Turnah’s suspension by the State Working Committee of the PDP. The court ruled that Turnah’s suspension was in order and that by the Constitution of the party, the State Working Committee had the power to sanction him.

It also restrained Turnah from parading himself as the party’s Zonal Secretary.

There are also speculations that the Tombia Roundabout, the proposed venue for the rally, might not be available as it is owned by the state government.

Governor Douye Diri had warned the organisers not to use any state government facility for the event, citing security concerns.

Security commanders in the state are said to be on high alert and there are indications that the venue would be cordoned off to prevent access.

A source disclosed that the organisers are aware of the development and are considering moving the rally to Kolo, Turnah’s community in Ogbia Local Government Area outside the state capital.

Already, the planned rally has been widely condemned by critical stakeholders in Bayelsa and in several parts of the Niger Delta, who have described the rally as an unnecessary orchestration of chaos that could lead to the breakdown of law and order.

They are of the view that it would compound the already tensed situation in Rivers State with spiral effects in the oil rich region of the Niger Delta.

Others are of the opinion that the rally will cause more harm to the image of the Tinubu government than promoting it, stating that the association is akin to the notorious Association for Better Nigeria led by the late Senator Arthur Nzeribe, a group that was used to abort the Third Republic.

Meanwhile, the rally earlier scheduled for April 12, 2025 was practically constrained to be postponed to April 26, 2025 for reasons of uncertainty occasioned by the division within the group and many people withdrawing their support.