RismadarVoice Reporters
September 20, 2026
Bayelsa State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, George Turnah, has challenged claims that the All Progressives Congress has sufficient political structures and grassroots strength to independently secure victory for President Bola Tinubu in the state in the 2027 presidential election.
Turnah was responding to Bayelsa APC Chairman Warman Weri Ogoriba, who said the ruling party had the organisation, membership and grassroots network required to campaign successfully for Tinubu and other APC candidates across the state.
In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Kelvin Loveday-Egbo, Turnah argued that the APC should not dismiss the political relevance of the emerging Rainbow Coalition or other groups seeking to support Tinubu across party lines.
“The 2027 contest will not be won by press statements, boasts about structures or claims of grassroots strength,” Turnah said, maintaining that parties would have to build support across communities, wards and local government areas.
PDP CHAIRMAN PUSHES FOR BROADER ALLIANCE
Turnah maintained that the political environment in Bayelsa had changed significantly since the 2023 election and argued that no party should assume it could command the state without broader voter mobilisation.
He described the PDP and the Rainbow Coalition as potentially significant components of efforts to build cross-party support for Tinubu in the state.
“The support of the PDP and the Rainbow Coalition is not a peripheral matter; it is central and indispensable if President Tinubu is to win Bayelsa State,” he said.
The position represents Turnah’s political assessment and does not establish how Bayelsa voters will ultimately vote in 2027.
APC INSISTS ITS STRUCTURES ARE STRONG
Ogoriba has maintained a different position, saying the APC has structures across Bayelsa’s eight local government areas and political wards and intends to concentrate on expanding membership, strengthening internal unity and mobilising voters.
He said the party would not be distracted by political alliances outside its established structure and expressed confidence that its existing organisation would provide a strong foundation for the 2027 campaign.
The competing claims underline an emerging contest over which political blocs can mobilise support for Tinubu in Bayelsa.
Turnah said the focus ahead of the election should ultimately extend beyond political structures to issues affecting residents, including employment, infrastructure, economic opportunities, security, education, healthcare and poverty reduction.
He maintained that political organisations could make competing claims about their strength, but the final decision on Bayelsa’s presidential vote will rest with the electorate when the election is held.
