Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa has emerged as the state’s leader after a tumultuous 48-hour period that followed the governorship election. He has earned a second term. In the closely contested election in the oil-rich state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nominee faced strong challenge from his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Timipre Sylva.
Governor Diri, who assumed office in 2020, secured a total of 175,196 votes, outpacing Timipre Sylva, who polled 110,108 votes. The significant margin of 65,088 votes underscored the victory for the PDP flagbearer. The Labour Party (LP) trailed behind as a distant third with a total of 905 votes.
Despite 18 candidates vying for the governorship position, Sylva emerged as Diri’s primary contender. The former Minister of State for Petroleum sought to return as the governor of the South-South state, where he had previously served two non-consecutive terms.
However, Sylva faced challenges leading up to the election. One month before the polls, the Federal High Court in Abuja disqualified him, citing a breach of the 1999 Constitution if he won. Justice Okorowo ruled that Sylva, having served twice and for five years as the governor of the state, would violate the constitution if allowed to contest again. The judge emphasized that Sylva was not qualified for the November poll, as winning would result in him spending more than eight years in office as the governor.
In response to the court’s decision, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) delisted Sylva as a contestant. However, the APC and Sylva challenged the judgment, leading to the Court of Appeal reversing Sylva’s disqualification on October 31, 2023.
