Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has described the adoption of the consensus method by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in electing its officials as a viable approach to fostering unity and strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Diri spoke at the APC South-South Zonal Congress held in Asaba, Delta State, where he noted that the region now speaks with one voice under the party, underscoring the importance of its inclusion in national decision-making.
The governor, who also chairs the South-South Governors’ Forum, recalled that delegate-based primaries in 2019 often led to rancour within political parties.
He said the earlier belief that “without delegates, there would be no governor” had given way to consensus-building, which he described as a more stabilising approach to party politics.
Diri aligned with other speakers on the need for unity in the region, stressing its strategic importance in Nigeria’s political landscape.
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“If you are not on the sharing table, in terms of the decision-making process, you will be left behind. We need to be united so that we will not allow petty divisions among us.
“Let us work together for the unity and protection of APC in the South-South, and God willing, all our candidates will come out tops in the 2027 elections. There cannot be anything better than a united family.
“Let me congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his remarkable achievements so far. Political events such as elective congresses like this were usually filled with rancour and violence. But, today, we have adopted the consensus model to produce our party executives from the wards to the regional level.”
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, commended the outgoing national vice chairman, Chief Victor Giadom, for working relentlessly to woo all the governors of the region into the party.
Senator Akpabio expressed excitement that Governor Diri joined the APC, stating that he was an admirer of the Bayelsa governor due to his gentle mien.
“The governors of the South-South zone coming together in the APC was made possible by Chief Giadom. I congratulate you and your team for what you have done. Now that we are complete and focused, we will be the geopolitical zone in Nigeria that will turn out the highest votes in 2027 for President Tinubu.
“In the last 46 years or so, our region has not produced a Senate president. But under President Tinubu, the South-South region is recognised. We thank the president for giving the South-South a senate president.”
In their goodwill messages, the host governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and his counterparts of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Cross River all spoke on the unity of purpose to be able to re-elect President Tinubu for a second term.
All the governors in their remarks vowed to work for the president’s re-election.
Chief Victor Giadom was returned as the party’s zonal chairman alongside seven other zonal executives of the party.
Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, moved the motion for dissolution of the immediate zone executive, and the motion was seconded by his Bayelsa counterpart, Abraham Ingobere.
Giadom said the gathering of the six governors of the region, lawmakers, ministers, and other major stakeholders was an indication of the zone’s commitment to return all APC candidates in next year’s poll.
