How Diri Won Bayelsa Guber Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday declared Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State the winner of the state Off-Circle Election which took place on Saturday November 11, 2023.
Declaring him winner of the election, the chief returning officer, Farouk Kuta Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Minna, stated that Diri polled 175,196 votes to defeat THE APC Candidate, Timipre Sylva who polled 110,108 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Diri thanked Bayelsans for bestowing upon him the honour of serving as their governor stating that the victory would not have been possible without the mighty hand and grace of the Almighty and the overwhelming support they showed towards him.
He thanked all that cast their vote in his favour and entrusted him with the responsibility of leading the state again, thanking the president of the country, Bola Tinubu for being unbiased.
Diri in accommodating tones declared, “I urge you all to celebrate with temperance, as this victory is not the exclusive preserve of any one political party. Rather, it is the collective will of a people united towards progress and a better future. Even those who cast their votes differently, enriched our democratic practice by their participation and dissent. I reaffirm that I will continue to be the governor of all in Bayelsa State.
“I want to place on record our gratitude to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allowing the conducive environment for what has been a free, fair and credible election. In the same vein, we appreciate the role of most of the security agencies for their professionalism and hard work in providing security for the exercise. We equally commend INEC for discharging their responsibility largely creditably.
“I want to specifically acknowledge and appreciate our leader, former President Goodluck Jonathan, for his unqualified support just as I thank my immediate predecessor in office, Henry Dickson, for his unwavering and abiding support.
“Our special appreciation also goes to our party leaders and my brother governors for their physical presence and invaluable moral support during this process.
“As I stated in my inauguration speech in 2020, where there is darkness, let us bring light. Where there is hatred, let us bring love. We are too few a people to be polarized and fractionalized along political, clan or other primordial ranks. My determination in fostering unity and inclusivity as we strive to achieve the shared goals and aspirations of our people is undiminished. I eagerly look forward to collaborating with every one of you to create a brighter future for Bayelsa.
“I equally sincerely thank all those who exercised their democratic right to vote. Your participation in this election has reaffirmed the strength of our democracy and the power that lies within the hands of the people.
“However, it is important to acknowledge that this electoral process has not been without its challenges. Regrettably, attempts by some political actors to hijack the process and undermine the will of the people resulted in the utterly unacceptable infiltration of violence, thuggery and intimidation into our electoral process.
“Lives of innocent individuals have been lost, an outcome that should not have occurred. Let me be clear: such actions are utterly unacceptable. In this moment, I offer my deepest condolences to the individuals and families that have suffered from brutal attacks, loss of life, injuries, and harassment during this off-cycle election.
” Innocent lives have needlessly been sacrificed on the altar of greed, and this tragedy must not be overlooked. I assure you that there will be consequences for these actions. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and respect for human life during and after an election.
“Every loss of life is a tragedy, especially when it occurs in the context of exercising democratic rights. We must collectively condemn any act of violence and work towards creating a society where every individual can freely and safely participate in the democratic process.
“Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to the people of Bayelsa State for your overwhelming support and trust. I accept your mandate to serve you again as Governor with utmost humility. Rest assured, I will continue to serve with integrity, dedication, and transparency. Let us embark on this next phase of our Prosperity journey together, knowing that the future of Bayelsa State rests in our hands, under God.
Timipre Sylva had on the day of the off-cycle election assured his supporters of victory although many were skeptical of the assurance.
Speaking in Okpoama Brass that day , after casting his vote at his Unit 4, Ward 4 Dukuraku center open space, he said “I ‘m very confident that in the end we will still carry the day.
But that assurance failed as the incumbent governor was declared winner, at the end of the day.
The most peaceful election in the history of the state may be due to the massive, unconcealed, vote buying as unconfirmed reports indicate that some persons were paid have been bought as much as N80,000 and even N100,000.
The results that came out was not eventually in Sylva’s favour as the incumbent won six local governments including Southern Ijaw, where Sylva banked on as a solid support base.