The lawmaker representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Senator Douye Diri has emerged winner of the 2019 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Bayelsa State.
Out of a total of 1,244 accredited delegates, Douye Diri secured 561 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Timi Alaibe, who pulled 365 votes.
The election, which started at about 11:30 pm Tuesday night, ended at about 5am Wednesday morning.
In his address, immediately after the counting of ballots, the Chairman of the electoral committee and Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, declared Diri winner of the election having met all the conditions and got the highest number of votes.
He said “I wish you good luck as you proceed to represent PDP in the general election. I want to plead with all of those who participated in the primary election to come together and work as a team so that the state can continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“I commend your peaceful disposition before, during and after the election, and the security agencies for providing adequate security for a peaceful, fair and credible exercise.”
Diri will represent the PDP in the November 16 governorship election.
The PDP primary election had in attendance former President Goodluck Jonathan, the outgoing governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson and other stakeholders of the party.
Diri, 60, hails from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state as Alaibe.
Before his election as a Senator in 2019, Diri had served as a member of the House of Representatives.
He had been a Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan as governor of the state.
