RAINBOW COALITION: IPAC CHAIRMAN, 14 PARTY CHAIRMEN AGREED TO FORM BAYELSA CHAPTER; PDP FAULTS “MISLEADING” DENIAL

BAYELSA IPAC LEADERSHIP IS WITHOUT INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER; THERE WAS NEVER A STATEMENT OF IPAC SIGNING UP FOR THE RAINBOW COALITION; IPAC CHAIRMAN ALONGSIDE STATE CHAIRMEN OF FOURTEEN POLITICAL PARTIES AGREED TO FORMING THE BAYELSA CHAPTER OF THE RAINBOW COALITION; STEERING COMMITTEE, A COLLECTIVE DECISION

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State, has described the statement issued by the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on the formation of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Rainbow Coalition as misleading and unnecessary, insisting that the facts surrounding the development are clear and verifiable.

The PDP wishes to state categorically that its earlier publication never claimed that IPAC, as an umbrella body, signed up for or endorsed the Rainbow Coalition. What was reported was that 15 political parties, through their respective State Chairmen, voluntarily subscribed to the formation of the Bayelsa chapter of the coalition.

It is therefore surprising that the IPAC leadership would issue a denial concerning a claim that was never made. This development, sadly questions the integrity and character of the IPAC Chairman.

At the meeting held at the residence of the Bayelsa State PDP Chairman, Hon. Chief Alabh George Turnah, MON, Esq., participating political parties collectively agreed to establish the Bayelsa chapter of the Rainbow Coalition. Consequently, the State Chairmen of the SDP, APGA and NNPP emerged as Chairman, Secretary and Spokesperson of the Steering Committee respectively.

It is instructive that neither the State Chairman of the SDP, Allen Amadein; the State Chairman of APGA, Brisibe Kpodoh; nor the State Chairman of the NNPP, Joel Nathan, has denied or disputed the positions assigned to them as Chairman, Secretary and Spokesperson respectively of the Steering Committee of the Bayelsa State Rainbow Coalition.

Against this background, the attempt by the IPAC leadership to inject itself into a matter concerning a coalition of individual political parties is, at best, unnecessary and outside the proper remit of the Council. IPAC is an umbrella platform for inter-party dialogue; it is not the governing authority over the political decisions of the independent parties that constitute it.

For the avoidance of doubt, IPAC is not an appendage of the Bayelsa State Government, and its leadership must jealously protect the independence, credibility and integrity of the organisation from political influence, wherever such influence may come from. Verifiable accounts of the meeting indicate that the IPAC Chairman himself participated actively in, and presided over, the process that led to the emergence of the Steering Committee of the Rainbow Coalition, following a collective decision of the participating party chairmen. There was no dissenting voice against the formation of the coalition at the meeting.

It is therefore deeply troubling that less than 24 hours after actively participating in the process, the same IPAC Chairman would seek to distance himself from developments in which he was personally involved. Such a dramatic reversal raises serious questions about consistency, credibility and the integrity expected of political leadership. We therefore urge the IPAC leadership to uphold the independence of the Council, respect the political autonomy of participating parties and refrain from presenting a distorted account of events to the public.

The APGA State Chairman subsequently created the official WhatsApp platform of the Bayelsa Rainbow Coalition and added the participating party chairmen. The IPAC Chairman was also on the platform and participated in subsequent discussions, including an appeal for brotherly love among members. The Party has screenshots of these exchanges.

For the avoidance of doubt, there was never any statement that IPAC joined the Rainbow Coalition. The earlier publication clearly referred to the voluntary participation of political parties and their respective chairmen.

The PDP also wishes to clarify that the admission of its State Chairman, George Turnah, into the IPAC WhatsApp platform was a separate development, following his recognition as Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa State. It was never presented as evidence of IPAC's participation in the Rainbow Coalition.

The PDP therefore stands firmly by its earlier publication and challenges anyone to produce where it stated that IPAC, as an institution, had signed up for or endorsed the Rainbow Coalition.

We urge political stakeholders to desist from unnecessary distortion of facts. The Rainbow Coalition in Bayelsa State emerged through the voluntary and collective decision of participating political parties, each acting within the authority of its respective leadership.

The Peoples Democratic Party remains committed to the coalition and its objective of bringing together like-minded political forces in the pursuit of good governance, peace, development and the collective interests of Bayelsans.

The Bayelsa State Chapter of the Rainbow Coalition has come to stay. Its existence does not require the approval, endorsement, involvement or participation of the IPAC Chairman, his political party or any other political party in the State. It is a voluntary coalition of like-minded political parties and political actors who have chosen to work together in pursuit of shared objectives.

The Coalition remains open to every political party that genuinely shares its aspirations and wishes to voluntarily sign up, just as its doors remain equally open to any participating party that may, at any time, decide to withdraw. Membership is neither compulsory nor permanent; it is a matter of conviction and shared purpose. What binds members is a common aspiration for good governance, accountability, development and a better future for Bayelsa State.

No individual, party or organisation has a veto over the decision of independent political parties to associate, collaborate or pursue common political objectives. The Bayelsa Rainbow Coalition will therefore continue its work with those who have freely chosen to be part of it, while respecting the right of others to remain outside it.

Signed:

Hon. Ikaebimo Mark

State Publicity Secretary

Peoples Democratic Party, Bayelsa State