By Ese Oghenegueke
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, on Monday, November 10, received another honour as the Best Governor in Infrastructure Development.
The award was presented by First Daily Newspaper, which marked its fifth anniversary, at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Governor Diri was represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah.
The event chaired by former Bayelsa governor and serving Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, had in attendance several dignitaries, including a former Rivers State governor and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, PANDEF National Chairman, Dr. Boladei Igali, and former Secretary to Government of Bayelsa State and ex-Reps member, Prof. Steve Azaiki.
Others were a former governorship candidate in Rivers State and ex-Reps member, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Dr. Azibola Robert and Prof. Sam Amadi, who delivered the public lecture on the theme: “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”
In his brief remarks, Governor Diri congratulated First Daily and its publisher, Dr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on the anniversary celebration and appreciated the media organisation for the honour and recognition.
He said his administration had recorded landmark feats in infrastructure development and that Bayelsa had become the biggest construction site in Nigeria with several ongoing projects.
He dedicated the award to people of the state, whose support he noted was an encouragement to his administration to render greater service.
Among numerous other accolades, Governor Diri has also in the last one week been honoured by the Bayelsa State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) with the Iconic Achiever Award and the University of Lagos, which endowed in his honour a Professorial Chair on Leadership and Good Governance in the Department of Political Science.
