Bayelsa Guber: Gov Diri leads In Opinion Polls

With about three months to the governorship election in Bayelsa State, the incumbent Governor, Senator Douye Diri has taken a clear lead in popularity and acceptability in a public opinion poll conducted for candidates billed to participate in the election in the state.

This is contained in a statement by a renowned Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Push Africa Foundation (PAF), which clearly indicates that the governor is ahead of others in the race in terms of good governance.

According to the statement, physical and online polls conducted by the organization on the likely voting pattern in the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election saw Diri emerging first with 45 percent of the total votes cast.

It states that the Immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and currently governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, came second with 20 percent of the votes while Engr. Udengs Eradiri of the Labour Party (LP) was on the third ladder with 10 percent.

According to the statement, the survey was carried out in six communities across each of the 8 Local Government Areas of the state.

It adds that a careful study of the results showed that a total of 74,000 registered voters voted in the online poll while 11,800 registered voters did so physically across the eight Local Government Areas.

The statement stresses that factors considered by participants in choosing Diri during the opinion poll, were his level of political tolerance and maturity, his peaceful disposition, accommodating spirit, the ongoing construction of the three Senatorial roads and the attention being paid to workers welfare, among others.

It confirms that the independent survey started on June 28 and ended on July 29, 2023.

According to the statement, the Executive Director of Push Africa Foundation (PAF), Ms Doris Egberamen,
while confirming the findings of her organization said that the second round of the poll would hold in September to identify any new development as more communities and registered voters would-be involved.

The statement however discloses that Push Africa Foundation which successfuly organized the last Bayelsa gubernatorial election debate in 2019 alongside its media partners is also planning to organize the 2023 governorship debate.

PR/Garry Ochigbo