President Bola Tinubu has secured 277,192 votes in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential direct primaries conducted across Bayelsa State’s 105 wards in eight local government areas.
Governor Douye Diri, who served as the state Coordinator and Collation Officer for the exercise, announced the results at the collation centre located at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.
The governor, in remarks cited by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said the peaceful conduct of the primaries across presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly levels reflected a marked departure from what he described as previously “toxic” internal party contests in the state.
He urged party members to remain united and work collectively ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that internal cohesion remained key to electoral success.
“As our party chairman already informed us, the party at the national level graciously asked me to be the returning officer and the chief collation officer,” he said.
“You have conducted yourselves so well. The exercise has been peaceful, calm, and in some areas more of a festive mood.”
He also appealed to aspirants who did not succeed to remain committed members of the party.
“To all those who contested and lost, you still have to be party men. I’m seeing a lot of them here, and that shows they are sportsmen. They belong to APC and they are going nowhere,” he said.
Diri maintained that with unity and political structure, the APC was strategically positioned in Bayelsa State ahead of future elections.
“If all of these people here will go back to our wards, can’t we deliver? Can anybody beat us in Bayelsa State? It is a very big capital No.
“We have the human beings that know the strategies of elections. With our numerical strength and incumbency, it is game over in Bayelsa State,” he stated.
According to the breakdown presented by local government collation officers, Tinubu scored 39,454 votes in Brass, 45,949 in Ekeremor, 22,593 in Kolokuma/Opokuma, and 32,487 in Nembe.
He also recorded 24,896 votes in Ogbia, 46,283 in Sagbama, 34,692 in Southern Ijaw, and 30,834 in Yenagoa.
His sole challenger, Mr. Stanley Osifo, reportedly scored five votes in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Earlier, speaking after voting at his Sampou/Kalama Ward 6 in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, Governor Diri said the APC had emerged as the party offering renewed hope for Nigerians through the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Tinubu.
He acknowledged that while ongoing reforms were difficult, they were necessary for long-term national stability and economic recovery.
The governor further expressed confidence that restructuring of Nigeria was achievable under Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as one of the few political figures with the experience and capacity to drive such a national agenda.
He referenced Tinubu’s role in the pro-democracy movement and the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), noting that his background positioned him strongly for national reform efforts.
The collation exercise was observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security chiefs, and political stakeholders across the state.
Dignitaries present included the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe; Senator Konbowei Benson; House of Representatives members Oforji Oboku and Rodney Ambaiowei; and the State APC Chairman, Hon. Warman Ogoriba.
Others were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere; and Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, among others.
