Bayelsa State Governor and Senator Douye Diri pledged on the weekend that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the oil‑rich Niger Delta state will deliver at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the January 2027 general elections. The commitment was made during the inauguration of the Bayelsa APC campaign council, where Diri warned the party would not cede any positions to the opposition and would negotiate from a position of strength.
Addressing council members and party supporters, Diri urged a coordinated mobilisation of voters in every community and ward, describing the party’s ambition as a “comprehensive effort from the presidential to the state constituency level.” He said the state’s voting strength had risen markedly and should be reflected in the election outcome.
To bolster Tinubu’s appeal, Diri highlighted several federal projects he said benefited Bayelsa, including the Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe‑Brass Road, recent interventions in the power sector, new federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the creation of a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. He credited Tinubu with recognising the development needs of coastal communities, noting the coastal highway as an initiative no previous Nigerian president had undertaken.
APC Chairman Hon. Warman Weri Ogoriba announced Chief Robert Enogha Ayalla as Director‑General of the campaign council and former Bayelsa Governor Timi Alaibe as Chairman of the Campaign Advisory Council. The council, Ogoriba said, comprises individuals with the capacity and experience to secure victory for Tinubu, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates.
Ogoriba warned that internal division could be exploited by the opposition, urging members to stay united and focused on the one‑million‑vote target. “Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Ayalla thanked Diri and the party leadership for their confidence and pledged collective effort to win. The council’s key members include:
- Governor Douye Diri – coordinator of the presidential campaign in Bayelsa and advisory member
- Deputy Governor Dr Peter Akpe – deputy coordinator
- Warman Weri Ogoriba – Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) and Coordinator One
- Senator Heineken Lokpobiri – Coordinator Two
- Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission – Coordinator Three
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>