Bayelsa Governorship Elections Was Well Conducted, Says Jonathan

Goodluck Jonathan, former president of Nigeria has said that the off-cycle 2023 governorship elections held in Bayelsa state was well conducted.

The former president stated this during an informal visit to Douye Diri, governor of Bayelsa state on his re-election at the Government House, Yenagoa.

In his words, Goodluck Jonathan, a former governor of Bayelsa State said “When you win an election and you win the way you have won, free, fair and clear, we need to commend you. I am happy that Bayelsans have seen what you have done and what you are doing and have said in their hearts, it is good you complete your 4 years and to me that has been my wish even before the election.

“I am here to formally congratulate my younger brother who worked with me as one of my key Commissioners when I was a governor, he was managing one of the strategic department of government, managing the youths and Sports, it is not easy thing to do and he did wonderfully well, he has tried his best and we have seen that he has done well and Bayelsans want him to continue for the remaining four years.

“With other interest groups, so many people wanted to be there but we plead that if somebody has been elected, let us allow the person to cool down and do the job. Four years is not a lifetime.

“Before you know, four years is gone, whoever is still interested can still show after these four years. As an elder in the state, I have to plead with the younger ones and those who are interested to allow peace to reign, we don’t want to have unnecessary crisis in the state. The results have been declared and we believe that the elections were well conducted and we believe that the governor won the election and we plead that people should accept it and work with the governor.

“Let all of us support him, for the state will move ahead, there should be nothing that would push the state backward. We should think about the development of the state, starting from the issue of peace and security in the state.

“Within these period of almost 4 years, there is significant improvement in terms of the cultism and kidnapping etc.
I was saying before the election, if Diri loses this election, I will relocate my mother to Abuja, I knew what we have gone through, my cousin was kidnapped two times, we have passed through hell in this Bayelsa state.

“We have seen a little light at the end of the tunnel and so people should calm down and allow Diri to focus on governance so that he can propel this state forward so that we will benefit as citizens of this state.

“For his Excellency, winning an election, you celebrate but it is a burden so you have to do your best to extend a hand of fellowship to all those who contested with you. Contesting for an election does not make people enemies, it is a game, election actually is suppose to be a beautiful thing because it is a contestation of ideas, and people will listen to you and see who you are and vote for you.

“It favours you so it’s your duty, people may be grumbling, it is your duty to pull them to you and say let’s move on, let’s run this state together and I know you will do that because you have done it before.

In his response, Governor Douye Diri thanked former president, Goodluck Jonathan for his elderly role in Bayelsa State.

Governor Diri said “Your Excellency, for me this is what we as younger ones should be copying, that you are there to serve people and the master that should be served always and that is one difference you have brought into politics that some of us who worked with you have copied and today people say, I’m humble and I like to trace that to you.

“It is no news again that you were head and neck deep in this race of governorship election in your state.
This election is won because you came out all strong to support my candidature, to support continuity, to support zoning in Bayelsa State.

“When we have leaders, leaders must take a stand and you took a stand that is why today, we are celebrating”, Douye Diri concluded.