Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri and prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains have urged members of the Igbo community to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
They made the appeal at the annual Igbo Day celebration organised by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Bayelsa State chapter which was themed ‘Onye Aghana Nwanneya’ meaning ‘Be your brother’s keeper’.
Diri who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters Chief Collins Cocodia attended the event alongside the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr Samuel Ogbuku and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who was represented by the State Director of the City Boy Movement Chief Osom Blankson.
Diri urged the Igbo community to vote for Tinubu in 2027 describing the President as the right choice because of what he said were his contributions to peace and infrastructure development in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta.
The governor also assured members of the Igbo community and other non-indigenes of his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace and security in the state.
He said non-indigenes had received more than 100 political appointments under his administration including the position of Commissioner for Special Duties.
Diri added that the security situation had improved claiming that kidnapping had become a thing of the past in the state.
Lokpobiri also urged the Igbo community to support Tinubu’s re-election arguing that the President had performed better than previous administrations.
He said the Tinubu administration’s establishment of the South-East Development Commission showed its commitment to infrastructure and development in the region.
‘A lot more is being done for the Igbos. It is more beneficial for the Igbos to vote massively for President Tinubu’ he said.
Ogbuku who donated a new bus to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo chapter also called on the Igbo community to support the President in 2027.
He said the people could reciprocate Tinubu’s support for development projects in the South-East including work on the Mbaise Bridge by voting for him in the next presidential election.
Ogbuku also cited the ongoing construction of the Ibi Bridge across the Benue River which he said measured approximately 2350 metres and addressed a development need that had persisted in the region for more than 30 years.
He said Tinubu remained committed to developing the Niger Delta and the South-East adding that more projects were expected in the two regions.
Earlier the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa State Dr Frank Odunukwe announced awards of excellence to six personalities for their contributions to the state.
The award recipients included Governor Diri Mazi Onuma Johnson Commissioner for Special Duties Hon. Richard Akinaka the Bayelsa Central senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party Chief Robert Enogha of Ayalla Group and the Commander of the Police Tactical Team Violent Crime Response Unit CSP Chris Nwaogbo.