Two weeks to his fifth anniversary in office as Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri emerged as Chairman of the South-South Governor’s Forum. The title was the latest addition to a row of accolades pertaining to Diri since he took office on 14 February 2020. For many, he is better known as the Miracle Governor. For others, he is the Prosperity Governor.
All of this is because Diri came into office on the propulsion of a miraculous pronouncement by the Supreme Court affirming him winner of the November 2019 election. His emergence was nothing short of a miracle because the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), David Lyon had already rehearsed the swearing-in ceremony at the sports complex the day before. Diri was so overwhelmed by the overall turn of events that he promised the good people of Bayelsa State prosperity all the way.
Five years after taking office, Diri’s performance profile reveals him to have given premium to development outside the Bayelsa State capital. More than any of his predecessors, says one fanatic, he has pursued the dream of extending governance into the three senatorial districts, and the apparent evidence is the appreciable progress of the roads leading to the three senatorial zones.
Even so, Diri is equally committed to building the New Yenagoa envisioned by his immediate predecessor, by opening up new roads to decongest traffic within the state capital. The Glory Drive project leading from the Igbogene axis of the state capital to Onopa is a particular case in point. Diri took it up from where Fak Engineering Construction Company, the first indigenous construction company of its kind in Bayelsa, stopped work at the discretion of the erstwhile government of Seriake Dickson.
Five years after he took office as governor, Diri is still hopeful of meeting his target as enunciated in his manifesto. He made definite promises to the people of Bayelsa State and showed evidence that he wanted to be counted as a man of honour in the holy grail of time. He has three more years to meet his targets and prove himself worthy of his assignation.
The primary thrust of his government, the template upon which it was established, points to a dogged pursuit of roads that would open up the three senatorial districts to public traffic, leading to settlements in the extensive arteries of the Bayelsa swamp. The sustained dream is for government presence to be felt in communities desperate for development.
At first instance, the government began work on the Angiama-Ukubie-Oporoma Road, and is pursuing the Ekeremor-Agge Road with equal zeal, in the hope that port facilities in that fringe of the coastline would manifest in quick time under his watch as Governor of Bayelsa. What’s more, the prospect of constructing a road from Nembe to Twon-Brass had been on the drawing board of the Federal Government since 1973 under the military government of General Yakubu Gowon.
The idea remained on paper till it became a campaign point of reference in the heydays of the first civilian government under President Shehu Shagari. A loud silence followed afterward, resounding through successive military regimes and civilian governments alike, until the Diri government broke the jinx in 2023 with a determined imperative that has taken construction work twenty-five kilometers of motorable road over marshy land, with bridges in view, visibly under construction, heading from Nembe to Brass.
So far, the Diri administration has proved that it was not just a campaign promise. It is work worth doing in the best interest of posterity, and Diri would gladly make history as the son of Bayelsa who opened up the state in all three senatorial dimensions. The Diri government has since taken applause for its spirited efforts to build roads, even in the state capital territory. The government is currently possessed by a spirit that seeks to fulfill the dream of building a New Yenagoa deserving of its glory.
For the honest assessor, the question remains the same. What has Diri really done in the past five years to make a difference, and what should he do to deserve greater applause in the next three years? Responses to the question differ. To start with, Samuel Ernest Azubuike says he has been in search of prosperity all his life, and so when he heard Diri ooffer to provide prosperity to the citizens throughout his tenure of office, he decided to stay back in Bayelsa State.
Samuel hails from Delta State, but he has lived in Bayelsa since 2007. He is concerned that his share of prosperity has not come his way, and that the work on ground is not commensurate with the volume of cash inflow into the Bayelsa government coffers. That is a position that could easily be countered by other discerning minds.
King Joshua Igbugburu, Ibenanaowei of Boma clan, and pioneer Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, is of the opinion that Governor Douye Diri is a visionary leader. ‘He is humble and hard working. He keeps to his word. He is straight-forward, and God-fearing’. In like manner, His Royal Majesty Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, and current Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, believes that Governor Diri’s performance in the last five years has been outstanding. A Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, King Dakolo speaks at length:
‘We can interact here, feeling safe, because Diri has brought safety and security to the people, and it is something people can easily take for granted. He has provided freedom of movement. Once you get used to moving around freely, you may not know that, once upon a time, it was difficult to move from one point to another, without looking over your shoulders.
‘Beyond that, he has been able to minimize acrimony. He has softened the contestation for the Bayelsa space by political gladiators. He has been so accommodating as to bring all warring parties together. Instead of conflict, he has preached peace. Why are they no longer bursting pipes anymore? That is because he has reached out to every militant, and got them to understand that there are better alternatives to making a living than bursting pipes.
‘Governor Diri is at the forefront of the Ijaw cause’, says King Dakolo. ‘He knows our problems. He doesn’t have to be told. He is not just a politician. He has made a resolve to serve. He fits squarely into the definition of a people-centered servant’.
The monarch maintains his argument on the fact that Diri took care of pension funds, to start with. When he came into office, there was a huge backlog of pension arrears waiting to be paid. He set aside N700 million every month, and paid pensioners according to the time of retirement. That went a long way to help many families. He paid gratuities as well. If there was any go-slow in that arrangement, it must have been caused by civil servants’.
The royal father maintains that Diri is an Izon nationalist. He schooled in the rural areas, and went fishing in the creeks. His understanding of the Izon plight is first hand. Nobody can tell him what he already knows. He has the mindset, not just of a politician, but a son of the soil who knows what ought to be done. He is resolved to be of service to his people.
To further underscore Diri’s commitment to the governance of Bayelsa State, King Dakolo gives a short parable as follows: ‘Diri consciously chose to go into partisan politics. He believed he would be most effective that way. He used to be a classroom teacher. He was so popular that he won a local government election, and was denied of his due.
‘Somebody else was declared as winner. He gave way to Alex Igbanibo of blessed memory. But Dr David Zilly Aggrey intervened, and told Diri to withdraw the case, even if he won. ‘Your future is greater than local government election’, said the respectable clergyman. And that future has unfolded to this point. Diri went on to become a Commissioner, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Member of the House of Representatives, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and is now serving as the incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State. So, clearly, Diri is a man of destiny. He would do what is right and proper in the best interest of the people’, he said.
Even so, James Soroh, a senior citizen of Bayelsa State, raises his finger to make a few observations, without going off tangent. ‘If Governor Douye Diri can foot the bill for relocating commuters to a central motor park in Yenagoa’, Soroh wonders, ‘what stops him from sorting out the dispute with ASUU and give the Niger Delta University a lifeline of three billion Naira’?
Soroh, by the way, was on an inspection team to the three senatorial roads, in spite of the fact that he is still recovering from an accident that disabled him. He has since applied to the government to assist with his next surgical operation, but government is yet to respond. He confesses that Diri has opened up the hinterland, no doubt.
‘Wherever there are roads, there would be massive development. I would give him a generous eighty per cent in that respect, but there is really nothing going on in the state capital, except perhaps for the Glory Drive project connecting Onopa. I hear he wants to build a 25,000 capacity stadium at Igbogene. He should fix all the internal roads in Yenagoa first. What I also know for a fact is that massive construction work is on-going in his hometown, Sampou. He should extend that to the state capital’, he said.
Soroh still finds it scandalous that five years into the life of the government, the water supply system is still comatose. Water is still far from being reticulated in Yenagoa. On the contrary, it is the principal business concern of Mairua, the itinerant water merchant. ‘What’s more, the state was in a sustained black-out for almost five months at a stretch, simply because we rely solely on the national grid that collapses now and then. If only he can revive the moribund gas turbine in the state, that would be a big relief’, he added.
Soroh is not finished yet. He takes a deep breath, looks around thoughtfully, takes a sip of water, and says: ‘Night life in Yenagoa is virtually dead. There’s no light, and there is restriction of movement after 7 pm for tricycles. Many business ventures have folded up, or simply moved out to neighbouring states for lack of power supply.
‘Keke is the main mode of transportation in Yenagoa. Even if the Governor is not ready to lift the ban outrightly, he should extend the time by two hours. Commuters are suffering. The case that began the whole thing, after all, has been settled. If you’re outside by 7 pm, getting home becomes a problem. That’s not good enough for a state capital’, he lamented.
Soroh’s analysis is all-round, touching on every aspect of the Bayelsa economy. He has a few words of advice for the governor towards the next three years. ‘Douye Diri should focus on education, transport, as well as water and power supply. He should do the needful to regain the confidence of the student population. He should provide basic utilities that make a city grow, and a people industrious. Darkness encourages laziness and unproductivity.
‘With regard to freedom of speech, things were okay for the past four years. But recently, there’s been an attempt to gag individual opinion, and that’s not right. This is a democracy. Everyone should have a right to speak their mind. After all, Izon means truth. Dr John Idumangi was in detention for over two months for criticizing the government. He remains a critical stakeholder. He has contributed a great deal to the life of Bayelsa State.
‘In like manner, another patriot was given a lifeline by the Industrial Court after five years of litigation, and the government is yet to obey the ruling of the court. Such obvious infringements on the rights of citizens, is uncalled for. Government should pay all outstanding entitlements, and govern with a free conscience’, said Soroh.
For Adu Jumbo, a son of Emerekini in Ogbia Local Government Area, an enlightened teacher in his own right, Diri has made an appreciable impact. With particular respect to the three senatorial roads, as far as he is concerned, Diri is working. A river port is a good idea, and it’s a good thing that he’s talking about a 60-megawatt power station too.
‘Without fear or favour, however, I am not pleased with the way things are in the state capital. Again, the government obviously favours politicians and government officials more than civil servants. Besides, he is underpaying the minimum wage. The arrears of teachers are still outstanding’, he said.
Helen Owei said that only politicians and government officials can speak of prosperity. It does not apply to civil servants, otherwise Diri would have paid the full minimum wage as announced by the Federal Government.
‘Only people in Diri’s government enjoy prosperity’, she said, ‘only political appointees. As for the masses, the story is different. Civil servants are in penury and pain. Some cannot even afford the BHIS cost. They can’t buy medication for themselves and their children.
‘There is no market control, no transport regulation authority, no price control system in the state. Fares climb higher every day. Drivers charge fares at will. Passengers pay according to what transporters say. Same distance, same keke, different charges. In the market, the same thing applies to foodstuff. The same bag of rice can go for N90,000 or N100,000, depending on the mood of the seller. The government needs to do something about that’, he said.
As for the state-owned Niger Delta University, there’s so much to talk about. To start with, there’s been a five-per cent salary increment owing lecturers for years. That was the cause of the strike. ‘If the government leaves the university to fend for itself’, says Helen, ‘that can only mean that school fees would increase, and the burden would be on the same civil servants who are already in search of prosperity. For that reason, the Bayelsa State government should give due regard to the sustenance of the state-owned Niger Delta University’, he further said.
Sir Benedict Bekewuru Ballard is a retired Director in the Bayelsa State government. He is now into book selling. He is a witness to the story of Bayelsa from the infancy of the state. As far as he knows, the Douye Diri government came into being as a government of necessity. It is a government that came by divine grace, and it is bound to fulfill its purpose. Ballard hinges his hopes on the senatorial roads under construction, which he describes as standard.
‘Dickson’s Ekeremor Road washed off with the first rain. But the standard is higher with Diri, and I can testify that Agbere, Anyama and other communities are bound to change on account of the durable roads leading to them’, he said. He is also impressed by the fact that pensioners have no reason to cry.
He is glad that the governor does not need to be around for salaries and pensions to be paid. A process is in place for that purpose. He also gives Diri kudos for upholding the achievements of his predecessor in education and health. The primary health scheme, for instance, is helpful even for those who can’t afford it’.
For Chief Yinkore Gita, Secretary to Yenagoa Local Government Council before the creation of Bayelsa State, the Diri government has taken truly bold strides with respect to road construction outside the capital city. Gita has high regards for Diri, knows him to be a humble gentleman, and testifies to his record of performance.
With regard to recent project ideas proposed by the Diri government, however, Gita has a few observations to make. He believes it would make more sense for an international market to be built at Igbogene, virtually overlooking the motor park terminal, rather than a stadium. As far as Gita is concerned, the stadium project would be better sited along the East-West Road, off Kalama, so that it can be accessible even to sports men and women in neighbouring Delta State.
‘Igbogene should host the international market’, he said, adding: ‘Swali market would be for fish and allied products. Tombia and Ekpetiama should provide space for a wood market, and the sand business should be confined to Agbura. And since Diri’s government has been commended so far because of the three senatorial road projects, he should extend that to the capital city’.
His emphasis should be on roads and the provision of electricity. Another thing is that he should not build houses for big people. He need not build living quarters for Commissioners and members of the House of Assembly. They can afford to build their own mansions. Instead, he should build estates for middle-income families who would be grateful to him for life. He should also do well to finish the tallest hotel in the Yenagoa skyline’.
Simon Nnaemeka thinks so too. Simon hails from Enugu. He has lived in Yenagoa since 2010, and finds good reason to assess the progress of Bayelsa in comparative terms. He knows how volatile the state was in times past, and finds reason to commend Governor Diri for cultivating peace and security. Even so, he avers that the Alamieyeseigha government was a government that dealt with millions, but there was a greater sense of prosperity then than the present government can ascribe to itself, in spite of the billions of naira at its disposal.
Simon is upset that the Diri government has continued to turn a blind eye to outstanding work at the five-star hotel and international conference centre began by the Jonathan government. In Simon’s opinion, government is willfully overlooking revenue that should have been coming into its coffers from proceeds generated by the hotel. He readily gives Hotel Presidential and Hotel Olympia in Port Harcourt as perfect examples of government investment in that regard.
‘Even if someone buried something there to stop government from finishing that project, let Governor Diri break the yoke with a miraculous hand, and let more money come into the state. After all, that is why he is called the Miracle Governor. The cost profile of that hotel is increasing every day. No amount is too big to finish it, in order to give a face-lift to the state capital. Governor Diri should simply finish work on that hotel structure, and take the glory’, said Nnaemeka.
In like manner, Victor Ogbonna chose to settle in Bayelsa since the days of Alamieyeseigha. He hails from Ahoada-East in Rivers State. In his opinion, only finished projects should be commissioned, but it came to him as a surprise that Diri was commissioning largely uncompleted and on-going projects.
‘We can’t run away from what happens around us’, he says. ‘In every state I know, only finished projects are commissioned. In next door Rivers State, for instance, former Governor Nyesom Wike commissioned twelve bridges in Port Harcourt, only after they were finished. The same holds true for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his successor. Even local government chairmen in Rivers complete their projects before commissioning them’, he said.
Ogbonna insists that some roads, and even the commissioners’ quarters in Yenagoa, are clearly on-going, yet they were on the commissioning list. He also feels bad that Bayelsa was in darkness for the better part of five months last year. His only consolation is that NDDC’s solar lights came as a relief. Even so, Ogbonna thinks Diri scored a major point by relocating all motor parks in the state capital to a central point in Igbogene.
Mie Omodu, a son of Sagbama, read Marine and Mechanical Engineering in the United States of America. He feels bad that almost twenty-nine years into the life of the state, there are no industries to be seen anywhere in Bayelsa. He equally feels let down that, in a riverine terrain like Bayelsa, there is no marine company to which he can apply. He faults Diri on human capital development. Government, as far as he can see, has not explored young business concerns enough, neither has government sought to encourage local entrepreneurship.
‘Everyone can’t be a civil servant’, he says. ‘We can’t all depend on monthly salaries. There should be room for those who survive by private initiative. That is the whole point of having local investors. Besides, it is ironic, scandalous even, that oil companies take oil from our soil, but still have no operational base in Bayelsa. They have offices in neighbouring Delta and Rivers States, so why not Bayelsa?’
Nimiworio Amaegbe, a respectable chief of Nembe, lives in Lagos but he visits Bayelsa from time to time. With every visit, Amaegbe looks out for something new, and is invariably disappointed that nothing much has changed in the state capital. “Yenagoa is the first port of call’, he says. ‘Any visitor to Bayelsa will first arrive the state capital before fanning out to other destinations. So, I look out for changes in Yenagoa every time I come home to Bayelsa. Frankly, as far as I can tell, the few projects being undertaken by the state government are projects befitting of local government councils’.
In this day and age, twenty-eight years after the state was created, every road in the state capital should be tarred. But what I see are roads that should be meant for rural communities. And there’s no way you can talk about Bayelsa without talking about the states created alongside it. Ebonyi is one of them. The road layout is so visible in that state that its immediate past Governor David Umahi was subsequently appointed Minister of Works under the Buhari government. That is the standard expected of Bayelsa, especially given the billions of naira that have entered the coffers of the state’.
Alexander Iberebo is familiar with the tempo of politics in Bayelsa, and has been a close observer of developments in the state. He wonders why the Bayelsa State government has never given priority to flood and erosion control in the state. In the last five years, he says, the Bayelsa State government has not made any conscious effort to check flood and erosion, in spite of the havoc of flooding suffered by the state in 2022.
Government has also not thought it worthwhile, he says, to harness the ample land across Ekoli Creek, and devise a dependable drainage network in the state capital. Even so, Alex is hopeful at the prospect of a new gas turbine that is expected to arrive Bayelsa in April, and provide steady light by December 2025, as proclaimed by the Diri-Law government.
He believes that regular power supply to every local government area will improve the economic fortunes of the state, and make all the difference. More than that, he hopes that Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, should take every word of criticism in good faith. ‘That’s the only way the government can grow to fulfill its outstanding aspirations in the next three years’.
