Former President Goodluck Jonathan has backed Governor Douye Diri’s bid for a second tenure in the upcoming Bayelsa State governorship election on Saturday.
He said that Diri should be encouraged to complete a second term in office because of the stability of the state, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah.
Jonathan spoke when members of the Peoples Democratic Party Bayelsa National Governorship Campaign Council alongside governors, former governors of the party and National Assembly members and other stakeholders paid him a visit at his Yenagoa residence.
The party leaders visited the state for the grand finale of Diri’s re-election campaign rally.
The former President said he was in touch with Diri and his activities in the state.
He said Bayelsa had made progress in the area of security and infrastructural development under Diri.
“I have been in touch with our governor and I believe he should be encouraged to do his eight years. He has been able to stabilise the state.
“Let us find a standard way of doing things. We cannot kill ourselves; we do not want a crisis. I thank you all for what you are doing. While we struggle for leadership, we must have a country,” the ex-president was quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, serving state governors and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the PDP on Tuesday canvassed for votes for Diri in Saturday’s poll.
They spoke separately during the grand finale of the PDP campaigns for the governorship poll held at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion in Yenagoa, the state capital.
At the event, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, officially handed the party’s flag to Diri as the governorship candidate of the party for the Saturday poll.
According to the PDP chieftains, Diri and his running mate, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, had performed very well to deserve a second term in office. They urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to ensure a free, fair and credible election.
Speaking at the event, Damagum said the PDP had been good to Bayelsa as the state produced a president on the platform of the party, stressing that the only way the people could show appreciation was to vote Diri in the election.
Also, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Timipre Sylva, on Tuesday, took his campaign to Biseni, where residents trooped out in their numbers to receive him.
While speaking on behalf of the clan, Ayaye Obuma, said the area had been neglected since Sylva left power, saying the people were yearning for his return.
Obuma said the people of the area had resolved to back Sylva “because they believe that he is the only candidate that has the Biseni people at heart.”
Sylva, in response, promised to start the construction of a ceramic factory in the first year of his administration.
