By Nudoiba Ojen
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has said that the reelection of Governor Duoye Diri in Bayelsa State would bring about consolidation of peace and security in the state.
Jonathan, who said if Diri had lost, the gains made in curbing insecurity in the state would have been lost, called on all in the state including co-contenders to accept the victory.
He said, “Results have been declared and we believe the election was conducted. We believe the governor won the election and we plead that people should accept it and work with the governor. Let all of us support him so that the state will move ahead”.
The former president, who spoke during a visit to Bayelsa State at the weekend, said, “Thereshould be nothing that will push the state backward. We should think about the development of the state starting from the issue of peace and security in the state. Within this last period, three years plus, there are significant improvements in terms of cultism and kidnapping and so on and so forth.
“I was saying before this election that if Diri loses this election, I would have relocated my mother to Abuja,” he said.
Jonathan, who recounted how his cousin was kidnapped and killed, expressed optimism that with Diri returning as the governor of the state, the situation would soon be a thing of the past.
“My cousin was kidnapped two times on one of those occasions, one of my cousins, Solo, was killed because they threw him into the river and he didn’t know how to swim”.
“We had passed through hell in this state and we’ve seen a little light at the end of the tunnel. So, people should calm down, and allow Diri to focus on governance so that he will be able to propel this state forward so that we will benefit as citizens of the state,” the ex-President said.
