Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A governorship aspirant in the just-concluded People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Bayelsa State, Mr Kenebi Okoko, has rallied support for the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Douye Diri, urging all party members to focus on the November 16 governorship election.
Okoko who has visited Diri to pledge his support for him has also visited the runner-up in the election, Mr Ndutimi Alaibe, to appeal to him not to dump the party. He also commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for his fatherly role during the election and Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for his leadership.
In a statement titled “For the Sake of Bayelsa,” which he personally signed said all hands must be on deck as PDP cannot afford to lose the state to the opposition.
The statement read in part: “Therefore, after due consultations with my team, I have formally visited the winner, Senator Diri, to personally congratulate him on his victory. I have also been in touch with my brother, Chief Timi Alaibe. In this regard, I have decided to fully support the winner of the PDP primaries, Senator Diri, in the interest of Bayelsa and the PDP and to work for his victory in the November 16 governorship election. We cannot afford to lose this state to the opposition.”
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State chapter of the PDP has congratulated Senator Diri over his emergence as the candidate of the party.
The State Secretary of party, Chief Godspower Keku, in a statement said party was happy with the emergence of Diri as its flag bearer after the keenly- contested, transparent and credible party primaries.
Keku described Diri as a committed public official with years of exemplary service to the development of Bayelsa, the Ijaw nation and the country.
The party’s secretary noted that Bayelsa was in need of a leader with vast experience in public service as Diri, who had been a Commissioner, a Principal Executive Secretary to the Governor, and a member of the House of Representatives and later the Senate among others.
The PDP scribe commended other 20 aspirants of the party who contested the election with Diri for their display of maturity and respect for the overall interest of the party.
Keku called on the aspirants to support the candidate of the party, stressing that the primaries could only produce one candidate out of the 21 aspirants who indicated interest in the governorship of the state.