 Caretaker Committee has voiced strong opposition to the arrest and continued detention of Ms. Awudumu Reigneth, a key figure in the Pro-Wike group known as New Associates.){kind=link}
The Bayelsa State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee has voiced strong opposition to the arrest and continued detention of Ms. Awudumu Reigneth, a key figure in the Pro-Wike group known as New Associates.
The party accused Governor Douye Diri of being behind Reigneth’s arrest, allegedly due to her affiliation with the group and her participation in a recent rally supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In a statement issued by Derri Alasuote Wright, Publicity Secretary of the PDP Caretaker Committee in the state, the arrest was described as unlawful.
Wright argued that the charges against Reigneth—reportedly linked to cyberbullying—were baseless and designed to punish her for exercising her constitutional rights to free expression.
Wright criticized what he termed a shift towards authoritarianism under the Diri administration.
He urged the governor to emulate the democratic tolerance shown by both President Bola Tinubu and former President Goodluck Jonathan, who, despite facing harsh public criticism, chose to uphold freedom of speech.
“We are operating under a democratic system, not a dictatorship,” Wright said. “Governor Diri is a public servant whose authority is derived from the people, not above them. Leaders like President Tinubu and former President Jonathan have endured intense social media scrutiny without resorting to suppression, despite their executive powers.”
The PDP also alleged that individuals from Bayelsa East, particularly the Ogbia and Nembe areas, are being systematically targeted.
It cited the earlier arrest of public affairs analyst John Idumage from Nembe, and the dismissal of 27 Ogbia indigenes from government positions, as part of this trend.
The statement called on Bayelsans and the wider public to demand Reigneth’s immediate and unconditional release, describing her detention as an abuse of power and a violation of her rights.
“We stand firmly behind our Acting State Chairman, Mr. George Turnah, in opposing these oppressive tactics,” Wright stated. “We will not remain silent while the liberties of our members and citizens are being eroded.”
He warned that failure to release Reigneth could push the party to take drastic steps, including moves to expel Governor Diri from the PDP.
Wright concluded by calling on civil society organizations, human rights groups, and all democratic-minded Nigerians to join the fight against political intimidation, stressing the importance of defending civil liberties and preserving democratic values in Bayelsa and across the nation.