Gov. Diri

Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been declared the winner of Bayelsa’s hotly-contested governorship election held this past weekend.

On Monday, Professor Faruq Kuta, the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology in Minna, announced that Diri had received 175,196 votes, defeating his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress’ Timipre Sylva, who garnered 110,108 votes. The Labour Party candidate finished a distant third with just 905 votes.

Diri’s victory represents an upholding of the status quo in the oil-rich southern state, with Diri winning his re-election bid.