Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains the party of choice for voters in the state going by the excellent performance of his administration in the last three and a half years.
Diri expressed the confidence that Bayelsans were solidly behind the PDP and would return the party to power in the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The Bayelsa helmsman, who is the PDP candidate in the election, spoke to journalists on Wednesday after the inauguration of the party’s national campaign councils for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states at its national secretariat in Abuja.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as thanking people of the state for their support for his administration.
He said: “I just want to thank the Bayelsa people. One thing to note is that the governorship election is across party lines. Bayelsans are unanimously resolved that the PDP, as exemplified by me, is doing well and for a winning team, you do not need to change players. They are very resolute about that. I just want to say thank you to all Bayelsans and we will do it again.
”So far, our administration has deepened development beyond what you knew about the state. You know I do not like to blow my trumpet but we have done so much in the last three and a half years that has made Bayelsa one state the PDP is sure of winning again in the election.”
Responding to a question, Governor Diri dismissed talks of crisis in the PDP, saying the party remains united.
“Do we have internal crisis in Bayelsa PDP? The answer is No.
“In this governorship election, we are very organised and we now have more members of the opposition parties coming over to the PDP. So, those are no issues in Bayelsa State where the PDP is very strong, vibrant and poised to win the governorship election. On a scale, PDP will get up to 80 per cent of the votes in the November 11 election.”
Also speaking, three National Assembly members, Dr. Konbowei Benson (Bayelsa Central), Chief Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East), and the House of Representatives member for Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Engr. Rodney Ambaiowei, commended Governor Diri’s performance that has placed the PDP in pole position.
Senator Benson, a two-term Speaker of the state House of Assembly, said he was confident that Diri would convincingly win the poll based on his good performance.
He said: “The only thing that would happen in the November poll is that Governor Diri, the candidate of our party, will win the election.
“He has proved himself beyond every reasonable doubt that he can perform not only in administration but also in capital projects development that the state is actually yearning for.
“For so many years, the three senatorial roads had been earmarked for the state. Others had made attempt but now the construction of these roads is going on even in areas that were considered impossible like Brass local government area because of the coastal and mangrove nature of the terrain. And this is where the country has a crude oil export terminal.
“He has already completed the Sagbama-Ekeremor road in the western flank of the state while work on the Yenagoa-Oporoma road in Southern Ijaw, my area, is going on well. So, everyone, the chief, elders and youths in the state are happy with the governor because he has been up and doing.
“He has addressed the challenge of development of our state frontally. If our state’s money is being spent on what we can see, then we do not need any other person with deceptive tendencies. Governor Diri that we have seen that is doing well is the person we all stand with.”
On his part, Senator Agadaga, the immediate past Chief of Staff, Government House, said Diri was aware of the state’s challenges and was solving them one after the other.
He described the governor as down-to-earth, always having the people at heart and one of the best things that happened to the state.
“One of the most serious setbacks in Bayelsa is that of accessibility, which is accountable for the level of poverty in the state. But this governor is tackling it with construction of the three senatorial roads. When they are completed, they will create access to the Atlantic Ocean and our people can tap into the Blue Economy potential of the state. So we support him,” Agadaga said.
Also, Engr. Rodney Ambaiowei said Bayelsa is a PDP state and will continually be so.
He stated that Diri will be re-elected to continue with the good work he is doing, and urged people of the state to ensure he emerges victorious in the November poll.
Highpoint of the event was presentation of the Certificate of return to the governor as the party’s candidate by the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
