The South-South Zonal Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has dissolved the Solomon Agwana-led State Working Committee (SWC) in Bayelsa State and appointed George Turnah, a known ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, as the new caretaker chairman.

Turnah, who currently serves as the PDP’s South-South zonal secretary, will oversee the affairs of the party in Bayelsa for an initial period of three months. His appointment, announced following a meeting of the zonal leadership on Tuesday, April 22, at the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, also signals a broader restructuring within the region.

The changes extended to Edo State, where Mr. Tony Aziegbemi, who headed the PDP’s caretaker committee, was replaced by Hon. Nosa Ogieva.

In a statement released by the PDP South-South Zonal Publicity Secretary, Prince Etim Isong, the party cited gross misconduct, poor electoral performance, and ineffective crisis management as the reasons behind the dissolutions.

“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,” Isong stated.

He added that the committee’s actions were guided by provisions of the party’s amended 2017 constitution.

“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 confidence that the new caretaker leadership will stabilize the party and reposition it for future success in both states.

The Bayelsa caretaker committee includes Tony Gabriel as deputy chairman, Ebilade Ekerefe (former Ijaw Youth Council spokesman) 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).

In Edo, the newly constituted caretaker committee is led by Chief Sunny Okomayin as deputy chairman, Hilary Otsu as secretary, and Nose Iseleomon as vice chairman (South). Other members include Ehisota Oriakhi (Vice Chairman, Central), Richard Ehimigbai (Vice Chairman, North), and Benjamin Ehinlebodiaye (Treasurer).

Turnah recently declared his allegiance to Wike and is organizing an event in his honour within the state—a move that has placed him at odds with Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri.