Bayelsa Govt Denies Issuing Statement On PDP Poverty Claims, Demands Retraction From Leadership, Punch

The Bayelsa State Government has denied issuing any official statement in response to recent claims by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding poverty and the performance of Governor Douye Diri's administration, describing media reports to the contrary as false and misleading.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, the government refuted reports published by some media platforms under the headline, "Bayelsa Govt Rejects PDP's Poverty Claims, Defends 6-Year Record." The reports alleged that the Commissioner had responded to criticisms made by the factional PDP on the achievements of Governor Diri's six-year administration.

The government clarified that no such statement was issued, signed, or circulated by the Commissioner on Friday, July 3, 2026, stressing that there was no reason to respond to what it described as the factional PDP's "baseless assertions."

"We challenge the journalists and media platforms that published the story to produce a copy of the purported statement. They cannot, because none exists," the statement read.

The government also dismissed a follow-up report claiming it had blamed the Federal Government for poverty in the state, insisting that such claims were fabricated.

According to the Commissioner, Bayelsans are well aware of Governor Douye Diri's performance and can distinguish facts from deliberate misinformation.

The statement further accused the factional PDP of attempting to gain political relevance through false narratives, adding that the group's criticism reflected discomfort with the cordial working relationship between Governor Diri's administration and the Federal Government.

"The relationship between the Bayelsa State Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government remains strong and productive, and it will continue to deliver meaningful results for the people of Bayelsa," the statement said.

Reaffirming its position, the Bayelsa State Government stated that it would not be distracted by what it described as unfounded allegations aimed at misleading the public.

It also announced plans to formally demand a retraction from Leadership and Punch Newspapers over the publication of the alleged false report attributing the statement to the Commissioner.

The government warned that failure by the affected media organisations to retract the report could result in legal action for libel and the dissemination of false information.