The Bayelsa State Government has refuted claims that it issued a press release responding to criticisms regarding the performance of Governor Douye Diri’s six-year administration.
In a formal rejoinder released on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, clarified that no such statement was authored or distributed by her office.
The government’s reaction stems from recent publications across multiple media outlets, titled “Bayelsa Govt Rejects PDP’s Poverty Claims, Defends 6-Year Record.”
The reports alleged that the commissioner spoke out on Friday, July 3, 2026, to defend the administration’s scorecard against a faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Ensuing media commentary also claimed that the state government was attempting to shift accountability for poverty levels onto the Federal Government.
Dismissing the publications as entirely fabricated, Koku-Obiyai stated that the administration felt no obligation to engage with the political faction’s criticisms.
She challenged the respective media platforms to provide authentic copies of the purported press release, maintaining that no such document exists.
The commissioner further asserted that the swift reaction by the factional PDP to a non-existent state document indicates a deliberate effort to remain politically relevant.
According to the commissioner, the false reports represent an unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the productive and collaborative relationship currently maintained between Diri’s administration and the federal government.
Moving forward, the state government announced that it will issue formal demands for immediate retractions from the media platforms that disseminated the unverified report.
The commissioner warned that the administration is prepared to pursue legal action for libel and the spread of misinformation if the publications are not retracted.
