Bayelsa 2023: Opinion Poll puts Diri ahead of other candidates

By Ovasa Ogaga,

Ahead of the November 11, 2023, Governorship Election of Bayelsa State, an opinion Poll conducted by Precious Hands and Brains Consult, an independent research group has projected the incumbent Governor, Chief Donye Diri ahead of other candidates.

The group 12-man team which includes Dr. Peter Omoko, Dr. Mike Moemeka and coordinated by the former Editor of The Guardian Newspapers, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo while presenting the result of the poll, noted that if the election were to be conducted today, Governor Diri will emerge victorious considering the opinion of the electorate in Bayelsa State

The Poll, which was anchored on participatory democracy, clearly shows that Donye Diri has a wide margin of lead in the 8 local government areas of Bayelsa state.

The group stated that the reason for conducting the poll is the promotion of good governance and to determine the re-electability of Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri for a second tenure in office.

According to the report of the group obtained from data collated from the eight Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state, namely, Brass, Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa, shows that the governor is shoulder ahead of other contenders.

“Our poll result was rather too optimistic and we then decided to place it against concrete evidence of good governance on the ground. Figures are inadequate when dealing with humans with hopes and aspirations for their children. We needed proof to match the result of the field survey.

“This led us to the second project, Diri’s first tenure scorecard or the list of some verified projects executed by the self-styled Prosperity Administration.

“Governor Diri’s scorecard covers major road construction, reconstruction of flood-impacted roads, internal roads construction and reconstruction, especially in the State capital Yenagoa. There are also recorded interventions in education, health, agriculture, security, and sports. Workers’ welfare/equity, and human capacity development initiatives are on the scorecard. These have been accentuated by Constituency Projects executed by the 24 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.”

The poll report stated further, “The data analysis presented here is the integrated data collated from the eight LGAs in September 2023. The sample size for data totals nine hundred and ninety (990) respondents. The number is obtained by summing up sample sizes of the strata.”

“The composition of the 990 respondents is as follows: 463 males and 527 females. In terms of age, the majority falls within the 30-39 years range which is unarguably the most active in political activities. Their marital status is Married 50.1%, Single 36.2% and Divorced 13.7%. Importantly, 82.3% have Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). On how they get their information on the Prosperity Administration, 56.2% say they relied on the radio.”

“Another 44.4% maintained Governor Diri could improve communication with Bayelsans through the same medium. The popularity of radio among the Bayelsa electorate and perhaps elsewhere is linked to the GSM technology. Every phone has FM enabling voters to be properly informed. Integrated Data Presentation and Analysis (Poll Result) We had overstepped a little into characterization and asked the aspect of Diri that attracted them the most, 58.3% stated his “Simplicity,” 20.3% his accommodating nature, 12.4% his accessibility while 9% his openness.”

“But when asked if Diri fulfilled his campaign promises, 70% voted yes. Although there is a 30% margin of areas where the governor is yet to fulfill his promises, he can reduce this deficit to a single unit by doing the needful.”

“Good governance encompasses the eight pillars of grassroots development, namely, Health Care, Infrastructural Development, Education, Job Creation, Youth Empowerment, Women Empowerment, Agriculture and Security.”

The team said residents scored Diri 77.8% for infrastructural development, Provision of Health Care 74.7%, Education 72.9%, Youth Empowerment 76.6%, Women Empowerment 58.1%, Security 72.1%, and Agriculture 47.1% which fell below average.

However, it was not rosy for the governor as part of the opinion poll result requires Diri to place greater attention on Job Creation and the provision of Health Care Centres to foster peace in society.

“Once people are meaningfully engaged, they think less of crime, which in turn eases the pressure for more security. Bayelsa will become more prosperous if the resources earmarked for fighting crime are redirected to a productive end.

“The reproduced data show that the majority is willing to vote him into office for a second tenure. ‘When asked: Would you vote for Governor Diri for Second tenure’? The motivation behind this gesture could be the Prosperity Administration’s hallmarks of good governance and fairness. Evidently, this is a government that spreads the dividends of democracy to all.”

Governor Diri’s application of unusual solutions to unique problems may explain why he is ahead in Bayelsa 2023. In all, his second tenure promises to be a progression of the first,” the report added.

It was also clear from the report of the poll that, “from the outset, it would seem the Diri Administration had taken time to identify the distinct barriers to good governance before advancing workable solution to each.

“Overall, the Governor has managed to situate the Bayelsa challenge within the context of unfairness in the distribution of official patronage, misused resources and squandered opportunities. As it were, the human factor remains the most subjective in the task of development. It is the factor that combines other objective factors for good purpose. The human can choose to slow down or accelerate development.

“The result shows that Governor Douye Diri, the eldest child of a headmaster resisted the Big Me Little You mindset that creates needless chasm between voters and their elected representatives. He has remained himself; humble, amiable with a desire to resolve all things in favour of humanity. By not playing god, he retains that crucial trust between the people and their leader.

“More importantly, Diri understands that no developmental problem in Nigeria is of general application. People in Katsina, for instance, do not suffer seasonal floods seen in Bayelsa. Therefore, anyone engaging his scorecard by de-emphasizing the peculiarity of his people’s topography and political history will miss the big picture.

“Development does not just happen on its own. It comes about when the complementary principles of originality of idea, sincerity of purpose and purity of leadership are harnessed for common good. Diri’s application of unusual solutions to unique problems may explain why he is ahead in Bayelsa 2023. In all, his second tenure promises to be a progression of the first.”