Immediate past Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said the pace of development in Bayelsa has left him emotional.

Speaking at Oporoma Community, headquarters of the Southern Ijaw Local Council Area, yesterday, during a grand reception in his honour, the former Vice President said he was impressed by the people-oriented projects of the Governor Douye Diri administration, stressing that the governor understood the reason for governance.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted Osinbajo as recalling his visit to the state on February 19, 2022, for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Angiama-Oporoma bridge project, saying he had his doubts when he saw the area was a forest.

Osinbajo, however, expressed delight that Diri had proved him wrong by ensuring the completion of the 630-metre bridge and the access road to Oporoma, which had been on the drawing board for over six decades.

He said that, based on his development strides, Diri had proven that God did not make a mistake in his choice as governor, and that the people of Bayelsa were happy with him.

He hailed the completion of the Referral Hospital in Oporoma, which he also inaugurated, saying he was impressed that the hospital, initiated 53 years ago in 1973, was completed by the Diri administration and was already performing surgeries.

Inaugurating the Agbura-Oxbow Lake Road in Yenagoa Local Council Area, the former VP described the project as impactful, saying it not only linked communities but also reduced travel time and connected them to key Federal Government offices such as the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Federal Secretariat.

While commending the governor, Osinbajo said he is a man who keeps his word and that it is rare to find such a quality in the Nigerian political space.

He said: “I am privileged to be alive and to be a part of history. This is a very special day for me; an emotional one.”