13th November, 2023
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof Faruq Kuta, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Of Technology, Minna, Niger State, said Diri, having polled the majority of votes and satisfied the requirement of the law, is now declared elected.
Diri polled 175,196 votes to defeat Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored with 110,108 votes to come second and Udengs Eradiri of the Labour Party (LP), who got 905 votes.
Diri defeated Sylva by 65,088 votes to win the governorship election.
Diri won six of the eight Local Governments while Sylva won two.
The governor polled 35,501 votes from Samgbama LG to win the council. Sylva scored 6,608 votes to come second while the LP’s candidate got 217 votes.
Sylva won in Nembe LG with 22,248 votes, with Diri polling 4,556 and LP, 113 votes.
In Ekeremor, the governor won, polling 23,172 votes, while Sylva scored 8,445 votes to come second, with LP garnering 50 votes.
In Kolokuma Opokuma, which is Diri’s Local Government, he defeated Sylva, scoring 18,465 votes, while Sylva scored 5,349 votes and LP’s Eradiri, 22 votes.
The governor also won in Ogbia Local Government, which is the council of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He garnered 18,435 votes to beat Sylva, who scored 16,319 votes, while Eradiri got 57 votes.
In the State’s capital, Yenagoa, Diri polled 37,777 votes to floor Sylva, who got 14,534 votes while Eradiri garnered 244 votes.
Sylva won the poll in his local government of Brass, polling 18,413 votes, while Diri scored 12,602 votes. Eradiri got 83 votes.
In Southern Ijaw, Diri won with 24,685 votes, while Sylva scored 18,174 votes. The LP’s candidate got 119 votes.
Bayelsa Governorship Election results at a Glance
