In the spirit of the new year, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has advised residents on how to engage in politics in 2026, urging them to shun violence and destructive practices.
In a statement posted on the state government’s Facebook page on Friday, the governor called on citizens to move beyond an era of politics marked by the loss of lives and destruction of property. He stressed that the state could not afford to return to such dark times.
Diri said his administration had consistently worked to reorientate the mindset of the people since assuming office, adding that Bayelsa had moved away from violence and the politics of thuggery.
“This state has moved away from violence and politics of thuggery. Anyone aspiring to contest elections should do so by convincing the people with their track records and ideas, not through violence,” he said.
The governor also reflected on the challenges faced by the state in 2025, including the death of the Deputy Governor, and prayed that such tragedies would not recur in the new year.
The Port City News (TCPN) earlier reported that, in his New Year message, Diri reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructural development across the state’s eight local government areas.
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He said 2026 would deliver greater impact for residents through new initiatives and the completion of several ongoing projects, driven by the 2026 Budget of Assured Prosperity II, which he recently signed into law.
According to the governor, the budget would enable the rollout of strategic infrastructure projects and the expansion of critical education and health facilities across the state.
Key projects, he said, include Nembe–Brass Phase I; the first phase of the Ekeremor–Agge Road terminating at Toru-Ndoro with a spur to Peretorugbene; as well as the Akaba–Ogu–Okodi, Oporoma–Ondewari, Angiama–Eniwari–Fonibiri, Toru-Ebeni–Akeddei–Bolu-Orua–Toru-Orua, and Agbere–Abuetor–Osekwenike–Asamabiri–Elemebiri roads. Diri described the roads as vital arteries for progress, connectivity, and dignity across Bayelsa State.
