Solomon Agwanana’s Bayelsa State Working Committee was disbanded by the Peoples Democratic Party’s South-South Zonal Working Committee on Tuesday, and Dr. Tony Aziegbemi’s Edo State Caretaker Committee took its place.
The zonal leadership, led by National Vice Chairman (South-South) Chief Dan Orbih, arose from a meeting at the PDP South-South zone office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and cited serious misconduct, subpar performance, and the improper handling of internal issues as reasons for the reorganization.
For the next three months, new caretaker committees have been established to manage the operations of both state chapters.
The Orbih-led committee, widely believed to enjoy the backing of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, took the step despite the objections of the party’s National Working Committee.
As previously reported by the PUNCH, on April 16, 2025, Orbih cautioned the Aziegbemi-led committee against posing as party leaders and gave a new party secretariat to the Edo State chapter.
The zonal leadership replaced Agwanana as head of the new Bayelsa caretaker committee with George Turnah, a well-known Wike friend and organizer of a scheduled demonstration in honor of President Bola Tinubu and Wike, in what many observers perceive to be a politically driven purge.
Similarly, Aziegbemi was replaced in Edo with Nosa Ogieva as chairman. Chief Sunny Okomayin was named deputy chairman, while Hillary Otsu was appointed secretary.
A statement issued by Zonal Publicity Secretary Etim Isong said the restructuring was intended to stabilise and reposition the party ahead of future elections, especially in the wake of what it described as a “woeful outing” in the last Edo governorship election.
“The decision to set up caretaker committees for both states follows the dissolution of the Bayelsa State Working Committee and the Edo State Caretaker Committee due to various acts of gross misconduct by the dissolved executives—acts that clearly breached the party’s constitution—as well as the party’s poor performance in the last Edo governorship election and the mishandling of internal crises in both states,” the statement read.
It added that the zonal committee took the decisions after a careful review of developments in both states, invoking provisions of the PDP constitution as amended in 2017—specifically Articles 10(1)(f)(g)(k), 10(4), 26(2)(a), 27(2)(a&b), 58(1)(a)(c)(i)(j), and 59(1)(f).
Other members of the new Bayelsa caretaker committee include Tony Gabriel as deputy chairman; former Ijaw Youth Council spokesman Ebilade Ekerefe as secretary; and Didi Werilaghebofa as vice chairman (Central). Andy Majors was named vice chairman (East); Evelyn Bolouebi Odi, vice chairman (West); and Biobelemoye Ogoniwari, treasurer.
In Edo, Ehisota Oriakhi was appointed vice chairman (Central), Richard Ehimigbai as vice chairman (North), and Benjamin Ehinlebodiaye as treasurer.
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