Bayelsa State governor and candidate of the PDP in Saturday’s election, Senator Douye Diri has won the gubernatorial election in all the three local government areas so far announced by INEC.
The local governments are Yenagoa, Ogbia and Kolokuma/Opokuma. Collation officers for the three local governments released the results at the state collation office, just before the first break, about 12.10pm on Sunday.
In Kolokuma/Opokuma, Diri scored 18,465 votes to defeat his closest rival of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva who got 5349.
In Ogbia, it was a close race. While Sylva scored 16,319 votes, Diri of the PDP scored 18,435. Ogbia is home of the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan had publicly endorsed Diri twice in less than 24 hours, even as he told his kinsmen that Diri was a better person to be allowed into the office.
There have also been the sentiments that if Sylva was allowed to return, he would deny the Ogbia people the right to produce the next governor in 2027.
Before the break, the Yenagoa result was the last to be announced. Sylva scored 14,534 votes, while Diri won with 37,777 votes.
Collation and announcements are to resume by 3pm. There are five more local governments to go
