BY Haleem Olatunji
Douye Diri, senator representing Bayelsa central, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state.
The senator emerged after winning the party’s governorship primary election which began at 11:30pm on Tuesday and ended at 5:00am Wednesday.
The PDP Bayelsa governorship primary election committee led by Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, conducted the exercise at the Gabriel Okara cultural centre, Yenagoa, the state capital.
Talford Ongolo, one of the 21 aspirants, exited the contest on the eve of the primary poll.
Ishaku said the total vote cast was 1, 253 while the total valid votes were 1,237, and that only a total of 16 invalid votes were recorded.
He declared Diri as the winner of the primary election having scored a total of 561 votes to defeat 19 other aspirants.
He was followed by Timi Alaibe, former presidential adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, who polled 365 votes.
Diri and Alaibe are from the same Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area.
“I, therefore, by the authority conferred on me as the chairman of this gubernatorial primary election which took place today in Yenagoa; the highest votes were scored by Senator Douye Diri,” he said.
“He has the highest votes of 561 votes. I, therefore, declare him as the winner of this gubernatorial election.”
Diri is reportedly the preferred candidate of Seriake Dickson, governor of the state.
Goodluck Jonathan, former president, had warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could win the Bayelsa governorship election if the PDP is not united.
He asked the aspirants to work with whoever emerges as the candidate of the party.
“We must free the space and eschew rancour because finally, one person will become the candidate of the party and for that one person to win the election, all aspirants must work for that person,” he said.
Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections will be held on November 16.
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