Bayelsa governorship election held on Saturday 11th 2023 has been concluded as Governor Douye Diri clinched a second term in office.
“That Diri Douye of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the Returning Officer for the election Prof Faruq Kuta said in declaring Diri the winner of the exercise after multiple breaks and adjournments.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate fought off his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart Timipre Sylva in a fiercely contested exercise in the oil-rich state.
Diri, who came into power in 2020, got a total of 175,196 votes while Sylva polled 110,108 votes. The figures meant the PDP flagbearer beat his closest rival by 65,088 votes. The Labour Party (LP) scored a total of 905 votes to come a distant third.
18 candidates participated in the off cycle poll while Sylva was Diri’s main contender. The immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum was contesting to return as the governor of the South-South state for a third time.
He first became a governor from May 2007 to April 2008 before returning as the leader of the state between May 2008 and January 2012.
