Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholder, George Turner, has accused the current leadership of the party of losing control and failing to provide direction ahead of the forthcoming national convention.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Friday, Turner said the PDP’s biggest challenge is leadership failure, stressing that internal crisis and impunity have continued to undermine the unity and credibility of the party.
“It is really sad because that is where our problem and our challenge as a party really is—leadership. They have failed. And I say this without apologies to anyone. The current leadership of our party completely, they have lost it,” he said.
Turner criticised the ongoing preparations for the convention, stating that several issues surrounding the process are sub judice and already before the courts. He accused some members of the PDP leadership of flouting court orders and engaging in acts of impunity that violate internal democracy.
“For the convention, a bit of the issues you touched on are sub judice, issues that are before the court. And I will not go into discussing the facts of issues already before the court, even though the defendants in that suit are already flouting the court orders for parties to maintain status quo,” he stated.
He added that party leaders were making announcements, screening aspirants, and adopting chairmanship candidates despite pending court cases. “You saw them making announcements for screening of aspirants, and then they are adopting chairmanship candidates elsewhere, others are countering. That tells you the kind of people or leaders who manage the party at this moment,” he said.
Turner, who described himself as a loyal and committed member of the PDP, said the party’s current state was a reflection of broken internal structures and disregard for due process.
“Convention normally is an end point. Now, you have means, you know, to arrive at that end point. In law, there are things we call conditional precedent,” he noted.
He lamented that members aspiring for leadership positions were being sidelined, alleging that nomination forms were not being made available to some aspirants. “I have gone to Wadata Plaza on countless occasions to buy nomination and expression of interest forms. There are no forms. One of the days I went there, I saw a very sound guy who wants to be public secretary of this party. He does not have the privilege to buy forms,” Turner said.
The Bayelsa PDP stakeholder also criticised the handling of zoning arrangements within the party, accusing some leaders of disregarding the resolutions of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
“The party adopted the report on zoning, which said status quo will be maintained between the north and the south as per zoning in our 2022 convention. Now all the offices in the north are supposed to remain in the north. All the offices in the south are supposed to remain in the south. These guys, you know, they just create problems everywhere,” he said.
He further alleged that some groups had printed and distributed nomination forms in violation of internal agreements. “If I go to my state, Bayelsa, I hear that my friend and brother, the current national secretary, they have printed one form and given it to him for deputy national chairman. Only him, only one form,” he said.
Turner also faulted the actions of some northern leaders who allegedly micro-zoned positions without proper consultation. “Few people as northern leaders went and micro-zoned. You have seen other voices now. You see, it doesn’t take anything for leadership to put people together. The only thing it requires is to be disciplined enough to suspend your own personal interests and provide leadership,” he said.
On the credibility of the forthcoming convention, Turner said the process could not be regarded as transparent when members were deprived of participation. “If I am not allowed to participate, I have a right of participation. During conventions like this, people come, the secretariat is busy, drums are beating, and people are mobilised. Have you seen any of that this time?” he asked.
He challenged the party to publish its financial statements and list of aspirants to prove transparency in the process. “I challenge the party to publish our statement of accounts to show aspirants where they paid in their nomination monies to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms. And they should publish the list of aspirants,” Turner stated.
In his closing remarks, Turner reaffirmed that the PDP’s troubles were rooted in poor leadership and lack of accountability. “Leadership failure. Asawana, yes, in the PDP,” he declared.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
