Bayelsa Elections Under Diri : Bye Bye To Violence, Killings -By Kola Oredipe

“Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done.” This quote from an American science-fiction writer, Robert A. Heinlein aptly describes the recent development in Bayelsa State.

In Bayelsa State, a peaceful election had looked impossible for many years.

But in just three years of sustained campaign for peace, love and unity by the Prosperity Government, the State has, for the first time in a long while, witnessed a general election with no bloodshed!

The prophets of doom were disappointed as the drum beats of wars were not heard any where near the around Bayelsa State in the just concluded 2023 general election.

They didn’t know that it was a new beginning in the State.  Alas, political violence even in communities hitherto known with such incidents has been tamed! This is a big relief to the people in some communities who used to live in fears during elections.

Great to cheer that in the last election across the  eight Local Government Areas of the State, no blood was spilled. Left for isolated cases of hijack of election materials and pre-election attack in Okodi community in Ogbia Local Government Area, there was general calm across the State including Nembe, Brass and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas against the backdrop of electioneering experience as recent as 2015 and 2019.

For Bayelsa State, the recurring political quagmire and debacle remained a set back and continued to give the State bad image.

Governor Diri was desirous to change the negative narration and tag of Bayelsa State being spotlighted flashpoint ahead of any major election.

With the great story of a peaceful Presidential, National and State House of Assembly Elections, a new Bayelsa State has emerged where people are allowed to freely exercise their franchise with no record of killings in any part of the State.

The glory of this land is shone brightly in the 2023 post-election review in Nigeria. The political violence, which has remained a clog in the wheels of progress and development, has been demystified.

The fear of insecurity in the land is also being erased in the minds of people including prospective investors.

It is indeed a new season of peace and security in Bayelsa State since the birth of the present administration. The current level of tranquility must have resulted from a deliberate action and commitment of the government of the day under a man of peace, Governor Douye Diri, to keep the peace in the State.

The personality of the incumbent Governor is no doubt reflecting on the state bringing the people together, preaching love, peace and unity across the State.

He said in the inaugural speech, “Today is 14 of February, a day of love. As a valentine governor and deputy governor, we bring the message of love to Bayelsa State.”

“We bring the message of hope to Bayelsa State, we bring the message of prosperity to Bayelsa State. Therefore, let us eschew bitterness and acrimony and learn to love ourselves, whether of the same party or of different parties. Primarily, we are brothers and sisters from Bayelsa State. And our creed today is to serve you.”

The message of love and unity has reverberated through the hinterland since the birth of the Prosperity Administration on February 14, 2020 and the people have come to see the genuine commitment and zeal by the governor to follow through.

Diri, in the past three years as governor, has continued to engage with various stakeholders including the political class, traditional rulers, community leaders, the youth bodies, women groups and the media community, to emphasise on the need to shun acrimonious relationship and be committed to the Bayelsa project irrespective of political affiliations.

At every opportunity that presented itself before the election, the governor continually advocated peaceful election with stern warning to anyone who want to forment trouble to have a rethink.

“Why should we be killing ourselves because of politics and position? Why should we destroy public property in the name of politics. The development of Bayelsa State does not know who is PDP, APC or any political party. We must remember that we are first of all brothers and sisters before politics”, Diri stated.

“As for traditional rulers, I have told them, any traditional ruler in whose domain any politician uses gun to drive away any other party, such traditional ruler will be deposed. I am now advising, after now, I will take action through my deputy governor.
The youth body in such a place will be de-recognised and I mean every word that comes out of my mouth. Traditional rulers will remain apolitical, youths have to be disciplined, politics is not to go and kill your brother”, Diri was quoted as saying at a public event before the election.

Interestingly, many traditional rulers wholeheartedly concurred with the government position that election is not war just as some of them took steps to encourage their people to freely vote for the candidates of their choice.

Beyond deploying their town criers to spread the message, traditional rulers like the King of Okpoama, King Ebitimi Banigo, had a cause to issue press statements urging their subjects people to go out to vote for candidates of their choice. Great move indeed.

The outcome of this election has shown that the simple message and warnings by the governor to the different segments did not go in vain.

A governor with so much simplicity and aura of love has given Bayelsa State and her people a new face at the national political arena as a state of peace and order.

The rein of political violence was no doubt an inglorious and unfriendly albatross and enemy of the people but with genuine heart of purpose and the infectious smiles of Governor Diri all around, even those with wicked intentions have been brought to their knees.

Mother Teresa, an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun, could truly not be wrong when she said, “Peace begins with a smile.”

And now that the peace is here in the elections, the sustainability of law and order ahead of the November 11 Governorship Election in the State remains a challenge to every patriotic citizen who is desirous of a greater, united and prosperous Bayelsa.

Kola Oredipe, is Director, New Media to Bayelsa State Governor