Bayelsa: Diri’s first term has raised bar of good governance

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With the November 11 governorship election fast approaching, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South on Monday said the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has raised the bar of good governance and leadership in his first term in office.

They made the remark when the PDP National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih led the zonal working committee of the party on a solidarity visit to Government House, Yenagoa, the state capital.

A statement by the governor’s spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted Orbih, as saying that the party was impressed that Governor Diri has been inaugurating projects while campaigning for re-election.

Orbih noted that while some first-term governors campaign for a second term with promises of what they would do, Diri has rather been busy inaugurating and flagging off projects in his state.

According to him, the national and zonal leadership of the PDP were not only proud of his achievements but are also comfortable with him as the party’s flag-bearer in the November 11 election.

He said: “We, members of the PDP South South Working Committee, came to show our solidarity with the performing governor of Bayelsa State.

“We have watched with great admiration your campaigns. Some governors campaign for their second tenure telling the people what they want to do.

“But your campaign is laced with commissioning of projects and flagging off new ones. It is very uncommon and we want to congratulate you.

“For us in the South-South, we are very proud of you and your achievements. You are indeed a miracle governor. God has again shown His hand that with His support, you can even go into the election without an opponent.”

The PDP zonal leader stressed that with Diri’s performance in office and considering the fact that the South-South is the stronghold of the party, victory was assured for the governor.

Responding, Governor Diri said the PDP was sure of victory as there was no basis for comparison between his first term and that of one of his opponents, Chief Timipre Sylva, who had also governed the state for five years.

He noted that the difference was clearly evident for all Bayelsans to see.

Diri also stated that his developmental imprints were visible in the community of the APC candidate where in sharp contrast, his opponent had nothing to campaign with even in his hometown.

He said even if the APC candidate was not contending with the constitutional issue of tenure, he was sure the election would still be won by the PDP.

Diri said: “The commitment of our people and what they stand for as far as this election is concerned is very clear. So we are home and dry even if they go into the election with the law against them.

“We went to his hometown and inaugurated a road. So, I do not know when he gets to his village, what he will inaugurate there.

“The paradox is such that there is no way to compare his five years to our just about four years even when we lost one year to COVID-19 during the lockdown in 2020.”

The governor thanked the zonal working committee for the visit, urging them to close ranks in order to have a formidable house going into the election.

He stressed that the PDP remained the only party with structure and governance that could give a viable opposition to the government at the centre and should continue to be the bulwark of the opposition in the country.

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