•As Burble Bursts, Church Chases Organisers Away
•Turnah Not Seen Around Rally Ground
“It is sacrilegious and shameful and God has disgraced George Turnah” That was how a native of Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State described the manipulative actions of some leaders of the NEW Associates who were desperately in need of a venue for their outlawed rally in the state, on Saturday, and had to hoodwink the Church of God Mission into allowing them use their expansive premises.
A former commissioner in the state, Dr Pabara Newton Igwele was said to have told some of the church leaders that they were to hold a crusade at the church premises.
But as the burble burst and the church got to discover the pranks played by the NEW Associates rally organisers, coordinator of the church in the state, the Rev Alexander Inegbese issued a disclaimer and told everybody to vacate their church premises, even before the rally started.
On Friday night, TNN had reported exclusively, that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, whose name was being used by the organisers and an impression created that leaders of the NEW(Nyesom Ezenwo Wike) Associates in Bayelsa State were to be inaugurated at the rally, had no knowledge of the entire event and would not be attending the event.
In fact, the source had informed TNN that the main promoter of the rally, Mr George Turnah was merely executing a hate agenda against the state governor, Senator Douye Diri and that Wike had nothing to do with what was going on.
TNN had also reported that all the political office holders, including the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was supposed to be appreciated at the rally for appointing the NDDC managing director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku and the minister of state, petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, had distanced themselves from the rally. They were also not in Yenagoa on Saturday.
Angered and worried by the deceit of the rally organisers, the church leadership issued a letter on Saturday morning, hours after those who were hired to entertain the people with music had rounded off the setting up of their equipment at the church premises, warning that nobody could use their premises for a political event.
The letter said: “The leadership of this church hereby states clearly that the use of the church premises by the NEW Associates was not approved for a political rally activity.
“As a place of worship and spiritual refuge, this church remains neutral and is committed to maintain an environment free from political influence or endorsement. The permission granted Pabara Newton Igwele was not known to the church to be used as a political rally by the NEW Associates Group. We therefore prohibit the use of the church camp ground for political purpose.”
TNN gathered that as soon as the letter was made public, those who had gone for the rally at the church premises started leaving. Interestingly, Turnah was nowhere near the rally ground as at the time of filing this report.
