Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he owed nobody apologies for supporting the re-election of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, during the November 11, 2023 off-cycle governorship poll in the state.
Jonathan said it was the right thing to do in supporting the governor because he had the support of majority of the Bayelsa people to continue in office.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, in a statement on Wednesday, quoted the former president as saying this when Diri led a high-powered delegation from the state government to pay a yuletide visit to the former president in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Wife of the former president, Dame Patience Jonathan, was also on hand to receive the governor and his entourage.
Jonathan explained that he publicly endorsed Diri’s candidature during the campaigns because of his visionary leadership demonstrated in handling the affairs of the state.
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According to him, the governor deserved to be re-elected for his developmental efforts, particularly for ensuring peace and stability in the state.
He said: “I did what l did during the governorship election and l have no apologies to anybody because l know that the governor and his team were doing very well, especially in the area of peace and stability of the state. At a time, l became very worried.
“I have not said others did not do well. After all, l was also governor for a little less than one and a half years and also had my challenges.
“Since Diri came on board, the excesses of cult groups, particularly in Yenagoa, have reduced reasonably. If we must move forward, first and foremost, we must handle the issue of security in order to attract investors. I saw that the governor and his team have a vision and he needed to be encouraged to do another four-year term.”
Jonathan charged the governor to do more to meet the high expectations of the massive support base for his administration, adding that “to whom much was given, much was expected.”
In his response, Senator Douye Diri expressed appreciation to the former president for his support and endorsement, which contributed to the Peoples Democratic Party’s victory at the poll.
“Your endorsement of a sitting governor was more than billions of naira. And so having secured that endorsement, we were very sure of victory. We are here to say a big thank you as that has brought stability in the state.
“So, with the kind of peace and security we have in our state, Bayelsa is ready for private investors to come in,” he said.
The state’s helmsman expressed the optimism that Jonathan would have more roles to play in reconciling people in the country and the African continent to ensure peace and development.
Diri also thanked President Bola Tinubu for ensuring a peaceful, free and credible election in the state.
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