August 06, (THEWILL) – Ahead of the November 11 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, the incumbent Governor of the State, Senator Douye Diri, has been predicted as the winner of the forthcoming election in the eight Local Government Areas of the State, according to a survey initiated by the Bayelsa Government New Media Team.
It was conducted by a team of six researchers and 50 research assistants for 2 months – June and July 2023. The survey was conducted across 211 communities randomly selected from the 24 constituencies in the State, with questionnaires administered to 2,400 respondents, who confirmed to have their Permanent Voter Cards and intend to cast their votes in the November 11 election.
100 persons, consisting of men, women and youths, were selected in each of the constituencies for the survey while 24 opinion leaders were also interviewed across the constituencies.
The poll was narrowed to the three supposedly major contenders in the election: the incumbent Governor, Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); former governor and immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC); and Engr. Udengs Eradiri of the Labour Party.
The survey was based on the antecedents of each candidate, the zoning arrangement, impact on people over time, particularly in the rural communities, popularity among the people, performance of political parties in the last general election and key stakeholders/leaders backing each of the candidates in the State.
Results derived from experts’ analysis of the field reports indicated that Diri is expected to return with the highest votes from his home Local Government Area, Kolokuma/Opokuma. While 88 percent of the respondents said they would vote for the incumbent Governor, only 5 percent proposed to vote for Sylva of the APC, just as 4 percent of the respondents indicated willingness to vote for Eradiri, and 3 percent are undecided.
The next appreciable result is from Sagbama Local Government Area, home LGA of the immediate past Governor and incumbent Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, where 77 percent of the respondents proposed to vote for Diri as against 10 percent, who indicated willingness to vote for Sylva of the APC.
In Ekeremor Local Government Area, 72 percent of the respondents also proposed to vote for Diri of the PDP while 11 percent indicated willingness to vote for Sylva.
The respondents said they would, through the ballot, return the kind gesture of the Governor for the completion of the Sagbama-Ekeremor road where several communities can now be accessed by road instead of travelling by water.
The survey report indicated that Diri is expected to win massively even in LGAs believed to have opposed him in the 2019 guber election. It clearly puts the incumbent Governor ahead in Nembe LGA with 70 percent, Brass with 62 percent, Ogbia with 66 percent, Southern Ijaw with 63 percent and the State capital, Yenagoa Local Government Area, with 70 percent.
Interestingly, the results showed 36 percent of APC members, who responded to the questionnaire, were willing to vote for Douye Diri because of his peaceful disposition and for opening up several riverine communities with roads.
Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC is expected to have his highest votes of 33 per cent from his home Local Government Area of Brass followed by Yenagoa LGA, where only 26 per cent of the respondents indicated willingness to vote for him.
The survey report did not give Eradiri of the LP any chance, as only 9 per cent of respondents in Ogbia LGA, being the best figure, were willing to vote for him, followed by the 8 percent of respondents in Yenagoa LGA, despite being his home Local Government Area.
Twenty-four opinion leaders were also interviewed in each of the 24 constituencies and their responses corroborated the survey report to the effect that the incumbent Governor Diri remained the best choice for governorship at this time, bearing in mind that he has performed significantly well in the different sectors covering security, sports, education, health, roads construction, youth and women empowerment, skills acquisition and better welfare for civil servants, including the gradual payment of outstanding gratuities to retirees.
Fifteen of the opinion leaders particularly emphasised that the incumbent Governor has become a symbol of peace in the State and has demonstrated genuine commitment as a bridge builder, who has restored security across the state.
“Governor Diri is a likeable person. He has shown compassion and I see him as a good man. That is the kind of leader we need now in Bayelsa State. He smiles from his inner heart. He does not care whether you are APC or PDP; he identifies with all. That’s a good quality for a great leader.
“Again, he is doing so many projects, particularly the various road projects connecting our riverine communities. We are so happy with the Nembe-Brass road. We understand that the former President, Goodluck Jonathan and immediate past Governor, Seriake Dickson, are also supporting the current Governor for another term,” an opinion leader in Nembe Local Government Area said.
The Director, New Media, Dr. Kola Oredipe, who commissioned the experts to carry out the survey, said he stands by the result and believes the outcome is the reality among prospective voters in Bayelsa State come November 11, 2023.
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