Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has rejected the congratulatory message from a former governorship aspirant in the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timi Alaibe over his victory at the Supreme Court where Alaibe’s appeal against the governor was dismissed.
The Governor denounced it as half-hearted and insulting, adding that Alaibe, who contested the PDP ticket with him on September 3, 2019, went too far in his bid to unseat him (Diri).
According to a statement by the acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor on Monday, Mr Daniel Alabrah, Diri rejected Alaibe’s congratulatory message while addressing the State Working Committee of the PDP, which paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday.
The statement also quoted Diri as describing Alaibe’s statement issued by his personal assistant, Enize Ogio, as “insulting and totally unacceptable.”
Demanding a new message from Alaibe, Diri noted that in line with the Supreme Court judgement, nobody was bigger than the party, including himself.
“I hereby reject that insulting message from one Enize Ogio. I hereby reject it in totality, and the PDP rejects it too. If they accept our olive branch, they should issue a new statement to let the PDP and the government of Bayelsa know that they are still members of our party”, the statement quoted the governor as saying.
Recall that Alaibe had last week issued a congratulatory message while accepting the verdict of the apex court.
“While our supporters may feel justifiably disappointed by the outcome of the case based on the supremacy of the court’s pronouncement, we have accepted it in good faith, however painful,” he said.
“Therefore, in the true spirit of political brotherhood and friendship, irrespective of the uncharitable processes and the outcome of our legal action, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe hereby congratulates and extends his unreserved hand of fellowship to Senator Douye Diri on his emergence as the Governor of Bayelsa. Congratulations.”
