Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has called on Bayelsans to the shun politics of bitterness, saying: “We don’t need to pull down people or destroy.”
Governor Diri gave the advice when he received four supporters comprising of Igbeita Jonathan, Ogbise Funimikiye, Jennifer Ogidiga and Sergeant Ofoniama in Government House, Yenagoa after they trekked from Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state to Yenagoa to celebrate his emergence as governor.
A statement by the Head of Press, Government House, Yenagoa, Mr Ebi Avi, noted that the governor was amazed and did not believe it when he was told about the four youths who had trekked all the way from Kaiama to celebrate his emergence as governor.
“I actually lack words to express my very profound joy on what I am hearing and seeing. When they told me in the office, I said it is not true. For me, history is being made and it also shows that our younger ones are taking after their elders. Thank you for this feat,” the Governor, who was swept into office by a last-minute ruling of the Supreme Court on Valentine’s Day, said.
Diri, who disclosed that as a member of the House of Representatives, he had been responsible for the education of one of the trekkers, whose father was killed in the Odi massacre of 1999, added that the four youths have shown their determination to help build a new Bayelsa.
He pleaded for support to sustain the gains of the former governor Seriake Dickson led administration.
“We don’t need to kill ourselves, we want solidarity and support. We don’t need to pull down people or destroy. We must build Bayelsa. What you have done is to show that as younger ones you are ready to be in the business of building of our state”.
Earlier, leader of the trekkers, Jonathan, said he with the others decided to trek to show support for Governor Diri in fulfilment of an earlier promise he made on social media.
He said he had vowed that if an indigene of Kolokuma/Opokuma emerged the governor, he would trek to Government House.
Jonathan said the historic journey started on the Kaiama bridge at exactly 6:24 am on Monday and terminated at Government House, Yenagoa at 2:35 pm amid cheers and jubilation.