By Festus Daumiebi Sunday

The recent unguarded statements by Mr. George Turnah MON against the person of Governor of Bayelsa State is totally dishonourable and condemnable.

It is not only bad that Turnah MON has made disparaging His Excellency Sen. Douye Diri, the symbol of Bayelsa State his Stock-in-trade but it is worst when he carries on with a swagger as though he is doing the work of God.

For persons outside Bayelsa State, George Turnah is the factional State Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa State which party the PDP is completely dead in Bayelsa State.

It is instructive to let you know that as of today, 29th October, 2026, in terms of membership, in terms of quality, in terms of structure and in terms of grassroots appeal, only one party, the All Progressives Congress is on ground in Bayelsa State while all others exist only in name and on the social media. More than that, the voters are with the APC as Bayelsans are happy with the Prosperity Assured Administration of Sen. Douye Diri. Thus, your claim that the APC in Bayelsa State needs the coliation of your under the radar party to deliver His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is presumptuousness taking too far.

In my candid but firm opinion, such online political party, the factional PDP should save its supposed political strength to deliver its candidates for the various National Assembly and State Assembly Seats at the polls, as the Factional PDP has no presidential candidate.

Let no one be deceived, in Bayelsa State, you are either a member of the APC, or you have the APC to contend with at the polls. No other political party would be able to poll 15% of the total votes on the election day in Bayelsa State as the Renewed Prosperity Administration of Sen. Douye Diri is not commissioning audio projects, as Bayelsans witnessed in the recent past.

His Excellency, Sen. Douye Diri has done Excellently well, and have outperformed every other Governor that governed our state in our recent history, and that has earned him the confidence of Bayelsa State voters.

Politics should be played with decency, and campaigns should be issue based, not destructive contrivances in the hope to embarrass the State and place stain on the good name of the Governor.

I was the APC Bayelsa Central Senatorial District Candidate that contested against the His Excellency Senator Douye Diri in the 2019 General Election, it was a keenly contested election preceded by issue based campaigns and was done without insults on persons. I challenge anyone who can come up with evidence of statements credited to me where I insulted my then oppenent who is the current Governor of Bayelsa State.

I was also a principal actor in the Bayelsa State APC in the 2020 Governorship Election against the incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State and in all my public and private communications and campaigns, I did not ever insult the person of His Excellency Senator Douye Diri.

That is how politics should be played.

The citizens and inhabitants of Bayelsa State will recall that a seating Governor of Bayelsa State, once described the six years presidency of Bayelsa and Niger Delta’s pride, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s as “wasted six years”: and Bayelsans stood to the occasion unanimously and vehemently condemned the statement.

I respectfully call on all well meaning Bayelsans to call Mr. George Turnah MON to order.

I know the respectful and courteous disposition of the people of Ogbia LGA where Mr. George Turnah MON hails from. We have leaders in Ogbia that has the capacity to call Mr. George Turnah MON to order. The big question is why are they not doing it?

Be it known that nobody has monopoly of insulting leaders without any provocation. People are only exhibiting good home training by showing restraint as responsible persons.

There is nothing wrong craving the headlines, but everything is bad insulting and concoting charges in the media against the Governor of your State and someone more than old enough to be your father in the name of politics. We are Ijaw people. Culture forbids it, nature abhors it
even in the face of provocation.

Throughout Bayelsa State and beyond , Governor Douye Diri is known for his unrelenting peaceful disposition, advocating for peace, making peace, building peace and maintaining peace in Bayelsa State. No Governor has demonstrated and shown the high level of an exemplar of peace in Bayelsa State.

I urge Turnah MON not to take the Governor’s peaceful disposition for granted.

In this same Bayelsa State we have had terrible leaders that you dare not speak against on national Televisions programmes and go scot-free.

Mr. George Turnah MON should desist, forthwith, the unprovoked attack on the person of the Governor, and centre his campaign on issues that he must be able to substantiate, if the need arises.

Mr. George Turnah MON knows that Rainbow Coalition has no place in Bayelsa State as coalition may only work in politically conquered territories which Bayelsa State can never be.

It is this knowledge of the fact that Rainbow Coalition has no hold in Bayelsa State that is making him George Turnah to apply this unholy, dishonourable and ethically bankrupt approach of resorting to insulting the person of the Governor of Bayelsa State to please his paymasters at the expense of decency, respect for elder and decorum.

The point should also be made that every man is helped one way or the other by another man. Those who are claiming to have made the Governor of Bayelsa State who he is today should know that others or another also made them who they are. In all fairness , at the level of a Governor, it is not reasonable to expect a sitting Governor to always do the bidding of those who helped him to power. So where the Governor of Bayelsa took the decision to come to APC which decision did not go down well with those that helped him to power should not be an eternal crime. In the current reality, Governor Douye Diri’s decision to leave the PDP for APC is the best decision and is clearly because even those that claim to have made him who condemned the decision also justified the decision by their leaving the PDP.

Be that as it may, we have leaders in every Senatorial District of the State. Beyond being the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Sen. Douye Diri is a leader of a Pillar “the Bayelsa Central” Senatorial District of the State, and must be respected.

A word is enough for the wise

By Chris Okafor,Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said its investigations on the reports of suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Yola, Adamawa State tested negative.

The Centre which disclosed this in an Updated post on Saturday night, said “Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing”.

The Centre stressed that: “Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed EVD case in Adamawa State”.

Ebola Virus Disease is a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

Ebola symptoms manifest in the following forms: fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following a relevant exposure.

Public health experts therefore, encourage anyone experiencing similar symptoms to seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history.

Experts urge individuals to avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.

Speaking via a press release, the NCDC Director General, Dr Jide Idris confirmed the suspected EVD cases proved negative.

According to him, the NCDC is worked closely with the Adamawa State Government, through the State Ministry of Health and Human Services, to investigate report of suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Yola, Adamawa State.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation. Hence the alert that was released early this evening.

“The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness.

“Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing,” the NCDC DG stated.

Pledging continued in collaboration with the Adamawa State Government and other relevant stakeholders, to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as verified information becomes available, Idris commended the efforts of the Adamawa State’s Commissioner for Health and his team for their proactive approach.

He said the NCDC will continue to provide appropriate technical support to the Adamawa State Government to strengthen their response operations.

Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed EVD case in Adamawa State.

On the index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.

The NCDC urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculation about the situation.

It encouraged the public to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels.
suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa test negative- NCDC
By Chris Okafor,Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said its investigations on the reports of suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Yola, Adamawa State tested negative.

The Centre which disclosed this in an Updated post on Saturday night, said “Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing”.

The Centre stressed that: “Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed EVD case in Adamawa State”.

Ebola Virus Disease is a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

Ebola symptoms manifest in the following forms: fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following a relevant exposure.

Public health experts therefore, encourage anyone experiencing similar symptoms to seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history.

Experts urge individuals to avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.

Speaking via a press release, the NCDC Director General, Dr Jide Idris confirmed the suspected EVD cases proved negative.

According to him, the NCDC is worked closely with the Adamawa State Government, through the State Ministry of Health and Human Services, to investigate report of suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Yola, Adamawa State.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation. Hence the alert that was released early this evening.

“The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness.

“Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing,” the NCDC DG stated.

Pledging continued in collaboration with the Adamawa State Government and other relevant stakeholders, to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as verified information becomes available, Idris commended the efforts of the Adamawa State’s Commissioner for Health and his team for their proactive approach.

He said the NCDC will continue to provide appropriate technical support to the Adamawa State Government to strengthen their response operations.

Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed EVD case in Adamawa State.

On the index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.

The NCDC urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculation about the situation.

It encouraged the public to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels.

By Abdullateef Bamgbose

The spectacle witnessed in Otukpo on October 30, 2026, was more than a ceremony. It was a powerful commentary on the state of political leadership and public service in Benue South.
For decades, the General Hospital, Otukpo, built in the early 1970s, has shared a boundary with Jesus College, Otukpo, and Ikobi village. The residents and students around the hospital have not only shared its physical boundaries; they have also shared the pains associated with it—the wailing of bereaved families, the blaring sirens of ambulances and the movement of hearses whenever patients die.

But on October 30, the familiar atmosphere of mourning was temporarily replaced by dancing, singing and celebration.

Chief Godwin Obla, SAN, alongside Abuja-based engineer Agaba Ikwue and other philanthropists, brought hope to a community accustomed to grief.

Women danced. People sang. The hospital premises became a place of celebration rather than mourning.
The symbolism could not have been more powerful: where politicians have repeatedly promised, private citizens are delivering. Where political leaders have sought votes, philanthropists have provided services.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Agida, reportedly confirmed the scale of the transformation, recalling that when he assumed office about two years ago, there was virtually nothing on the ground.

The conversion of the General Hospital into a teaching hospital and the establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, represented a historic development for Benue South and Idomaland.

Many politicians, from former Senate President David Mark to Senator Abba Moro, can legitimately point to legislative efforts that contributed to the establishment of the university.
But legislation alone does not constitute service.
Passing a bill, securing political approval or taking credit for the establishment of an institution cannot be the end of leadership. The real test begins when the institution requires infrastructure, equipment, personnel and sustained support to serve the people.

That is where the political class appears to have failed woefully.

While Chief Obla, Agaba Ikwue, Adapoyi and other individuals were commissioning a paediatric unit, amenity facilities and children’s wards built through private intervention, many politicians were busy preparing for the 2027 elections.

The question is unavoidable: where are the politicians when the people need them?

Where are the serving and former senators? Where are the serving and former members of the House of Representatives? Where are the local government chairmen, serving and former? Where are the political leaders who have spent decades asking these same people for their votes?
The absence of prominent political figures at an event of such importance speaks volumes.

Senator David Mark’s absence, in particular, was noticeable given his long political association with Benue South and his 16 years in the Senate, including eight years as President of the Senate.
The same question applies to Senator Abba Moro, who has consistently highlighted his role in the legislative process that culminated in the
establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo.
If political leaders can claim credit for institutions, they should also be prepared to take responsibility for ensuring that those institutions function effectively.
Leadership cannot be reduced to commissioning ceremonies, political rallies, campaign posters and election-day promises.
The irony is particularly painful in a state confronting insecurity, poor infrastructure and inadequate healthcare.

Even the arrival of the 35 Artillery Brigade in Otukpo, which should have been a major security development for the people, reportedly required private individuals, including General Adoga and Chief Godwin Obla, to provide accommodation and other facilities for the brigade’s take-off.

This raises a fundamental question about the meaning of public service.
If individuals can provide hospital wards, equip medical facilities, support security formations and invest their personal resources in communities, what exactly are elected representatives doing with the enormous political influence and public resources entrusted to them?

The answer cannot always be another election.
The people of Zone C deserve more than politicians who appear only when elections are approaching.
They deserve representatives who will be present when hospitals are struggling, when schools lack facilities, when communities are threatened by insecurity and when young people have no opportunities.

They deserve leaders who understand that political office is a responsibility, not an inheritance.

It is therefore difficult not to condemn the attitude of politicians who spend years in public office but become suddenly visible only when they need another mandate.

The 2027 elections should not be another season of empty promises.
Politicians seeking the votes of the people of Benue South should first explain what they have done with the mandates they previously received.

They should tell the people how many hospitals they built, how many schools they equipped, how many communities they supported and how many lives they transformed—not merely how many political rallies they attended.

The lesson from Otukpo on October 30 is clear.
Service does not always require a political office.
Chief Godwin Obla, Agaba Ikwue and others demonstrated that individuals can make meaningful interventions when they choose to put humanity above politics.
And perhaps the most embarrassing part for the political class is this:
In a place known for death and mourning, ordinary citizens came together and made hope dance—while many politicians were busy dancing around the next election.