The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress, APC, New Media has described the recent attack on the party’s State Chairman by Alabh George Turnah as political noise that does not represent electoral reality.
The group, in a statement, said its attention was drawn to Turnah’s statement attacking the leadership and political capacity of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State.
According to the group, it would ordinarily not dignify what it described as a lengthy political rant with a response, as the leadership of the Bayelsa APC is preoccupied with governance, grassroots mobilisation and delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
It, however, said Turnah’s attempt to present political assumptions as established facts requires brief correction.
The New Media arm of the party said Turnah’s selective reference to the 2023 presidential election figures does not confer on him the ability to predict how Bayelsans will vote in 2027.
It stated that political alliances have changed, political actors have moved, new structures have emerged and the electorate remains the ultimate determinant of elections.
The statement reads: “Votes are not inherited by political parties, coalitions or individuals. Turnah repeatedly presents the coalition as indispensable to President Bola Tinubu’s victory in Bayelsa. That is a political claim, not an established electoral fact.
“The APC welcomes every genuine supporter of the President. But no individual, group or coalition should arrogate to itself the power to determine the decision of the Bayelsa electorate.
“The Bayelsa State APC under the leadership of Governor Douye Diri and State Chairman, Hon. Warman Weri Ogoriba, is focused on strengthening the party across the state and expanding its grassroots presence.
“While Turnah is busy calculating votes from a three-year-old election, the APC is busy engaging the people and consolidating its structures. That difference speaks for itself.”
The group further cautioned Turnah against presenting himself as an authority on integrity and political credibility, alleging that his public record includes criminal convictions.
It said, “Turnah should be cautious when presenting himself as an authority on integrity and political credibility because his own public record includes criminal convictions. In 2022, he was convicted by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt over non-disclosure of assets and the Court of Appeal upheld that conviction in May 2026.
“He was also convicted in a separate EFCC-related case in 2023. These are matters of public record, not inventions of the Bayelsa State APC.
“Consequently, Turnah is hardly in a strong position to lecture others about political morality. Neither does he have the requisite political experience to speak about serious matters like this. Politics is beyond stealing public funds, which is his only legacy.”
The APC New Media said gratitude should not become a casualty of political expediency, stressing that political differences are normal but should not compel anyone to erase the history of relationships, opportunities and goodwill received.
It added that those who have benefited from political goodwill should demonstrate maturity when political circumstances change, noting that political disagreement does not justify historical revisionism.
The statement further reads: “Finally, Governor Douye Diri and the leadership of the Bayelsa APC have responsibilities to the people that are far more important than exchanging words with political commentators. Our focus is on governance, development, infrastructure, economic opportunities, party organisation and grassroots engagement.
“Turnah is free to campaign for the PDP, promote the Rainbow Coalition and make whatever political projections he chooses. But Bayelsans, not Turnah, will ultimately determine the political direction of the state. The APC will therefore remain focused on its work.
“While others are busy writing about the election, we are preparing for it. While others are making assumptions about the people, we are engaging them. And while others are seeking attention, the Bayelsa State APC remains focused on delivering results.
“The State Chairman insists that Bayelsa APC does not need the rainbow coalition to deliver President Tinubu and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.”
