Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has emphasized his commitment to not resort to violence in order to maintain his position ahead of the upcoming November 11 governorship election in the state. Speaking after evaluating the security situation in neighboring Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area, Governor Diri expressed his concerns about the well-being of the displaced individuals due to recent events.
He conveyed his stance that political power should not come at the cost of people’s lives, and he affirmed his dedication to restoring peace and order in the affected communities. He called for unity among the people of Nembe and highlighted his government’s initiatives for development.
He said: “I will not spill one life to retain my office because every life is important to me.
Anyone who wants to be governor should not sacrifice any of you to become governor.
“Bassambiri issues are either political, chieftaincy or economic. Anybody who wants oil company benefits should not sacrifice others to get payment.
“You cannot kill yourselves whether you are from Bassambiri, Ogbolomabiri, Brass, or Odioma. You are all Nembe people. You are all Ijaw people. So, I call on the Nembe-Se Congress to do more in uniting the people of Nembe.
“As a government, we will continue to do what we are doing to unite the people and to develop the area.
“That is why your government started the very big Nembe-Brass road project, which is a Federal Government road.”
Governor Diri also instructed the State Emergency Management Agency to provide further relief assistance to those impacted. He stressed that his administration’s focus is on empowering people through skills acquisition rather than promoting violence. During his visit, he met with the leader of the SWAT team and emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order without getting involved in local politics.