Bayelsa Guber: Meet Douye Diri ‘Supreme Court Governor’ Who Is Seeking Popular Votes

In less than a month, residents of Bayelsa State will decide whether to officially elect the ‘Supreme Court Governor’, Douye Diri or his major contender, Timipre Sylva, to pilot the affairs of the state.

Recall that the Supreme Court of Nigeria declared the 2019 Bayelsa State gubernatorial elections null and void because the winner’s running mate, David Lyon, submitted a fraudulent certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Diri did not secure the popular votes at the poll as the court issued him a certificate of return after the winner was sacked, and he was sworn in on February 14, 2020, as governor of Bayelsa State.

In this article, Naija News highlights the political background, vital appointments and other profiles of Diri, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Early Life

Douye Diri is a Nigerian politician and businessman from the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Diri began his primary schooling at Okoro Basic School Sampou before transferring to Rev. Proctor Memorial Primary School Kaima, graduating with honours in 1977.

After graduating from the Government Secondary School in Odi, he obtained a West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) diploma.

He also earned his Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) in 1985 after graduating from the College of Education in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

In 1990, Diri got a Bachelor of Education in Political Science from the University of Port-Harcourt in Rivers State.

Career

Before entering politics, the governor taught in various government schools in Rivers State and served as the National Organizing Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

During the tenure of the first executive governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Diri was appointed executive secretary of the Centre for Youth Development and later appointed Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Bayelsa State during the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

In 2012, he was the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Disciplinary Council in Bayelsa State.

In August 2012, Douye Diri was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff at Government House, and a year later, he was promoted to Principal Executive Secretary, a position he held until 2014 when he resigned to run for the House of Representatives seat representing Kolokuma, Opokuma, and Yenagoa Federal Constituency.

He was the senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District from 2019 to 2020 in the 9th National Assembly before contesting for the state gubernatorial election.

On February 13 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria invalidated the results of the 2019 Bayelsa State and declared him the winner.

On August 17, 2020, the Abuja tribunal ordered Diri to be sacked as the state governor. However, on October 2 2020, a court of appeal in Abuja overruled the tribunal court and confirmed him as governor.