Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, under the leadership of Governor Douye Diri, on Tuesday endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general election.
The endorsement was made at a special stakeholders’ meeting of the party convened by Governor Diri at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Yenagoa.
At the meeting, the Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Dr Konbowei Benson, moved the motion for the endorsement of President Tinubu, which was seconded by a former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and former Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi.
Prominent stakeholders at the well-attended meeting included the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee in the state, Dr Dennis Otiotio; Senator representing Bayelsa East, Chief Benson Agadaga; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Sam Ogbuku; Managing Director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare; and the APC National Working Committee ex-officio member (South-South), Hon. Godbless Diriware.
The gathering was the first expanded meeting convened by Governor Diri since he became a member and leader of the APC in Bayelsa State in October 2025.
Governor Diri expressed delight that the Bayelsa APC had resolved to work together as one family to deliver President Tinubu a second term in office.
He urged party members to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and humility, and to rise above bitterness and divisive tendencies in the interest of peace, development and progress of the state.
Diri also advised members to play by the rules and embrace politics of consultation, urging those interested in elective offices to shelve their ambitions for now.
He said: “Here we are today in a very big family of the APC. Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the old members of the party for the reception accorded me and other Peoples Democratic Party members who crossed over. It was a welcome like no other.
“Political parties are vehicles for development. Let us truly be progressives. Whatever positions you want to contest for, whether governorship, House of Assembly or National Assembly, please put it on hold for now.
“Power comes from God. What should be uppermost is that we are all gathered here to make sure that President Tinubu returns for a second term.”
In a brief remark, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri expressed delight at being part of the meeting, noting that the Bayelsa APC now had a united and indivisible objective to deliver the party for all elective offices in 2027.
Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere; former APC governorship candidate in the state, Chief David Lyon; and Prince Ebitimi Amgbare commended Governor Diri for his maturity, saying his inclusive leadership style would help the party achieve its objectives.
Also speaking, APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr Dennis Otiotio, praised Governor Diri for uniting the various factions of the party’s political leadership in the state, which he said had remained fragmented for more than a decade.
Otiotio explained that the purpose of the meeting was to mobilise members and supporters to participate in the party’s electronic membership registration exercise to ensure the capture of genuine members.
A minute of silence was observed in honour of former Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the 5th National Assembly, Senator John Brambaifa, who died on Saturday, January 3, 2026, in Abuja.
