Diri knows that competing with Sylva, is not going to be a tea party but he has run a good race and kept the faith, hence his deserving case to the Bayelsa voters to reward him with another term.
By Emeka Alex Duru
Any attempt at recalling an incident in the 1980 American presidential election for illustration on the battle ahead in the November 11 governorship poll in Bayelsa State, will give an entirely different result. In the final week of the 1980 campaign between the candidate of the then ruling Democratic Party, President Jimmy Carter and Republican nominee, Ronald Reagan, they were put on debate. In course of the exercise, Reagan posed what has become one of the most important campaign questions of all time: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Carter answered “NO”. And that cost him re-election.
In the Bayelsa election, Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are the major candidates. If Sylva throws similar challenge that Raegan put before Carter to Diri, the response would not be same. Diri has acquitted himself considerably. Sylva, the APC candidate had governed the state for five years, while Diri has been in office for less than four years. Within the periods, Bayelsans know the difference. Governor Diri has a brilliant performance profile he brandishes in asking the voters in the state to return him to the government house.
He believes his accomplishments in his first tenure will speak for him. As a student of Political Science, Diri knows that success in politics depends largely on the results a political office holder is able to deliver. In other words, performance is a key factor that can infuse any elected leader with genuine sense of self-confidence to seek a renewal of his mandate, in a free and transparent process.
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That is why he insists on his work speaking for him. The other day, Abubakar Saad III, the Sultan of Sokoto, was in the state to inaugurate the newly completed 10.2km Glory Drive dual carriageway. The road, which was started by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan when he was governor, stretches from Onopa, in the heart of Yenagoa, the capital city, through several communities and terminates at Igbogene. That is aside over 50 internal roads done by the government.
He has also started work on the Nembe-Brass Road which has been abandoned by previous administrations in the state and federal government. Diri explained the reasons behind the construction of the Road, as being beyond political considerations but about the economic benefits to the state and the country. He said embarking on the project, which is a federal road in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, was borne out of his strong desire to create access to the Atlantic Ocean in order to harness its abundant natural resources. On completion, the road will enhance the blue economy of the state.
“The Nembe-Brass Road is not a political project. It is the major project l have brought to the people of Okpoama and the Bayelsa East Senatorial District”, he enthused. Timipre Sylva, incidentally, hails from that zone.
But you will be getting it wrong if you think that for Diri, it is all about building roads and bridges. He also gives considerations to the human capital development of the state, hence boosting Small and Medium Scale Enterprises with N200,000 per two persons in the 105 wards in the state, monthly. Add that to the automatic payment of pension and gratuity to retirees in the state, regular payment of salary, youth empowerment, development of the New Yenagoa, and the improved security in the state. In education, there is a policy to de-emphasize paper qualification for science education, hence the massive investment in science and technological institutions. Perhaps, where he has recorded the most impressive impact is in shifting the youths in the state from militancy to productivity.
“Looking at what we have done in just three and a half years, our people say we can’t go back to Egypt,” Diri said, in a clear broadside to Sylva, recently. Indigenes and non-indigenes of the state, attest to the governor’s scorecard of achievements. Some weeks ago, the monarchs in the state and leadership of the Christian community, openly agreed that he was on course and endorsed him for another term. The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in a rare outing, equally admitted that Diri was doing well.
From Osun state, came accolades by Governor Ademola Adeleke that Diri was performing. Adeleke who made the remarks at the commissioning ceremony of the Elebele AIT road on the outskirts of Yenagoa, tasked Bayelsans not to change a winning and performing team as represented by Governor Douye Diri at the November 11 poll.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, made similar comments, in fact, describing Senator Diri, as a true servant-leader working for the development and transformation of the state, hence deserving a second term. Oborevwori made the remarks at the inauguration of Etegwe Bridge and upgrade of Etegwe-Edepie – Tombia Roundabout and Agilobi Road, Yenagoa.
In Latin, the saying, Vox Populi, Vox Dei (The voice of the people is the voice of God), means much. That should count for the governor on November 11. It is not for nothing that he calls himself the miracle governor. There is a hand of destiny in his coming to office. He was already in court challenging the declaration of David Lyon, the APC candidate as the winner of the November 16, 2019, governorship election in the state. Diri had upper hand before the election. But on the election which was marked by high scale irregularities, Lyon was declared the winner. The shock was unprecedented. Aside Lyon not being popular, the APC had no foothold in Bayelsa.
But the victory song did not last. In fact, three days to the election, there were some developments that eventually turned the tide against Lyon. A Federal High Court in Abuja, had on November 12, 2019 disqualified his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo in the election for submitting forged certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). APC had appealed the judgement at the Appeal Court and received favourable judgement. But the Supreme Court, on Thursday, February 13, upturned the verdict of the Appeal Court and upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court.
The Apex Court nullified the election of Lyon and Degi-Eremienyo, who were on Parade Ground, preparing to be inaugurated into office on Friday, February 14. Diri counts the turn of events as reason to thank God and deliver service to Bayelsa. Governor Diri knows that competing with Sylva, is not going to be a tea party but he has run a good race and kept the faith, hence his deserving case to the Bayelsa voters to reward him with another term.