By David Owei, Yenagoa.

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has assured that his administration will not leave any project unfinished when he leaves office in February 2028.

Senator Diri gave the assurance on Wednesday at the 169th session of the state executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completion of all ongoing projects, including legacy projects that it started and those it inherited.

Some of the big-ticket legacy projects include the Sagbama-Ekeremor road, which it inherited from the immediate past administration and completed it with work ongoing from Ekeremor to Agge, the ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road, and phase one of the Nembe-Brass road.

Other legacy projects are the nine-storey civil servants secretariat, the 25,000capacity stadium, the 60mw gas turbine plant among several other infrastructure projects initiated by his administration.

The governor equally assured that funding of these high profile projects will not pose any challenge.

According to the Bayelsa governor, his administration’s target to make the headquarters of all eight local government areas in the state accessible by road was on course.

His words: “Contractors handling some of these projects were inherited by this government and are known to everyone. All the projects that are ongoing will be completed and our goal is to complete them before we leave office.

“Upon the completion of the Sagbama-Ekeremor road that we inherited, we have no doubt that it will add value to lives as travel time and insecurity will be reduced drastically.”

Diri gave an update on the Bayelsa West senatorial road between Ekeremor and Agge, saying it was now being sand-filled by the contractors, China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC) while that of Bayelsa Central to Oporoma and the Nembe-Brass road in the eastern senatorial district were nearing completion.

He further stated that the federal government, which took over construction of the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road, had released 30 per cent of the contract sum.

On power, Diri said the new gas turbines procured by his administration would ensure Bayelsans enjoyed 24-hour electricity by the end of this year.

“Power is critical to industrialisation. Power supply was my agenda from my first tenure. Today we are almost there. The preparations are very high. Very soon the new gas turbines will arrive.

“My focus is to resolve the issue of electricity so that we will have our own independent power plant.”

Earlier, the governor fulfilled his pledge to Bayelsa State-born Chief Superintendent of Police Sentome Obi as he presented a brand new saloon car to the officer.

CSP Obi, who heads the Financial and Cybercrime Unit at Zone 16 Command, Yenagoa, earned national acclaim following his rejection of a $17,000 bribe from a crime suspect.

As a reward for his honesty and dedication to duty, Diri at a Government House reception on July 23 announced a three-bedroom apartment and car reward for the gallant policeman.

Obi was also honoured by the Force with the Inspector-General of Police Integrity and Police Officer of the Year Award for 2024.

Presenting the car to the officer in Government House, the governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security 1, CP Akpoebi Agberebi (rtd), said the gesture was in fulfilment of his promise.

He expressed the hope that the gift would encourage him and other officers to continue to discharge their professional duties more efficiently.

He urged Obi not to relent but to continue to put in his best, which he noted will contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in the state.

He recalled his recommendation to the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, for special promotion and stated that Obi had been promoted from the rank of Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police.

Responding, CSP Sentome Obi thanked God, the IGP, and Governor Diri for the honour, saying it will spur him to do more in the service.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

In a bid at encouraging Bayelsa youths to be their best in their chosen endeavours, the Bayelsa Youths Leadership Awards ( BYLA) has given 28 Bayelsa youths various awards as part of activities to mark the 2025 International Youth Day celebration.

Speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa, the Convener of BYLA, Comrade Moses Ati said the International Youth Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the contributions of youths to the development of the society.

According to him, this informed the reason why Bayelsa youths gathered under the auspices of BYLA to recognize and reward youths from the state who are excelling in thier chosen professions, stressing that this will go a long way to spur them to continue to be useful to not only to themselves but also the society as a whole.

Comrade Moses Ati further pointed out that this is done in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, adding that the 2025 award ceremony is the 9th edition with Bayelsa youths from various parts of the state and also from different fields of human endeavours being recognized and rewarded for thier hardwork and resilience.

He urged Bayelsa youths to continue to contribute thier quota to the growth of the state, reiterating that this can only be done if they shun social vices that are inimical to the overall development of the society.

While calling on those at helms of affairs and politicians to include the youths on the state’s policies and programmes, he equally asserted that youths should not only be used as political thugs during elections and dumped by politicians.

In his contribution, a member of the state Youth Parliament, Comrade Atekere Jerry who delivered a keynote address at the occasion noted that International Youth Day is always celebrated all over on the world on the 12th of August every year, which is why the Bayelsa youths gathered under the banner of BYLA to join the rest of the world to celebrate the day by giving awards to those that are making the state proud in both within and world at large.
About the convener. Comrade Atti Joshua Moses is a dynamic leader , youth advocate and seasoned student unionist from Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa state and holds a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, a Post graduate Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism and a MSC in Criminology from the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa state.
Currently, he is the chairman of PANDEF , Ekeremor local government area chapter and the convener of two flagship Youth events in Bayelsa state , the annual emerging leaders conference and Bayelsa Youth Leadership Awards, platforms dedicated to inspiring ,recognizing and empowering young leaders.
He is known for his passion ,resilience and commitment to youth development as he continues to be a strong voice for purposeful leadership and Community Development.
Comrade Atti Joshua Moses is happily married and blessed with kids.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

A former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has declared that the arrest of former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), was part of the plot to weaken the rising popularity of the African Democratic Congress, (ADC) among Nigerians, especially in the North West geopolitical zone of the country.

Senator Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, is one of the major arrowheads of the coalition arrangement with the ADC.

Ojo, while reacting to the development, said “if the arrest of Tambuwal was intended to diminish his political stature, the strategy will backfire as the anger of the people against the present administration will turn him into the people’s hero.”

The politician-cum-security expert said that it was not a secret that Tambuwal’s arrest was politically motivated and it is believed that it is part of the plot to weaken the rising popularity of the ADC among Nigerians.

“I know that when Aminu Tambuwal was governor of Sokoto State the people wanted him to probe Wamakko but he refused to probe Wamakko. That same man now must have instigated them to write to the EFCC because no other person could have written to the EFCC apart from those in government.

“I think they want to reduce the popularity and political influence of Tambuwal in Sokoto State and some parts of the North West in order to weaken the structure of the ADC. That was the untold reason why he was arrested,” he stressed.

Ojo said if Tambuwal’s arrest was as a result of financial allegations against him, but queried the timing and reminded Nigerians that the EFCC is not doing anything about dozens of petitions against members of APC, who were previously being investigated before they defected to the ruling party.

He went further: “Does it mean that there is nobody today in APC, including former governors, no former Ministers, no former senators or Lawmakers that are culpable. Why?

“This is a political vendetta, this is a political attack to further weaken the opposition, particularly the ADC.

“If care is not taken that is the strategy to weaken the opposition and weakening opposition means we are tilting towards a one-party state and one-party state is an autocratic state.

“Tambuwal left office since 2023, why now. It is just because of his political profile that is rising and because of his role in ADC.

“Former Governor Okowa was invited by EFCC over allegation of over N1.3 trillion graft allegations, immediately Okowa was released what happened? I think the negotiation was that he has to decamp.

“Immediately Okowa decamped to the APC with PDP structure in Delta State nobody is hearing anything about his case with the EFCC or the reason why he was investigated. Has returned the money?

“Are still working on what the former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole said that immediately you crossed to the APC your sins will be forgiven?

“The sins you committed against Nigerians will be forgiven by a political party.

“What is happening now is old fashion. Nigerians have already made up their minds and they know what is happening now is vendetta. If Tambuwal is still a member of the APC today would he be investigated or invited or arrested?

“Unknown to them, people have already made up their minds. There is nothing anybody can do now to depopularise Tambuwal in Sokoto State or in the North West. People already know that this is political vendetta.

“What they are trying to do now is to intimidate Tambuwal to come to them, but this is old fashion strategy. They should allow Tambuwal to go.”

Ojo called on opposition political parties to form strong and formidable front to confront the APC in 2027 like what happened in 2015 when PDP was upstages by coalition of opposition parties.

“Opposition parties should come out as a united political force. When they were forming the APC you see a lot of protests with people like Buhari, Tinubu, Pastor Tunde Bakare and others. You saw a lot of protests against the government of Goodluck Jonathan and PDP.

“If the APC did it at their formative stage and nothing happened to them, the present opposition parties can also do it peacefully.

“The opposition are keeping too my much quiet. It is like they have accepted to be oppressed. This is an oppressive government and the oppressive government is turning this country to a one-party state.

“The opposition should come together as a united political force in order to rescue Nigerians from present difficulties. People are facing hardship, there is no security, no education, no health, nothing. The people that Nigerians believe can rescue the country in 2027 they are trying to hang one or two things on their neck to silence them,” he added.