The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election held in Bayelsa State on Saturday ended in a landslide victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who garnered a total of 277,192 votes across the state’s eight local government areas.
The result was officially declared at the APC Presidential Primary Election Collation Centre at the Government House Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, where delegates, party leaders, stakeholders and electoral officials assembled for the collation of results from the state’s 105 wards.
The exercise was conducted under heavy security presence, with security personnel stationed around the Government House premises and major entry points to maintain order throughout the exercise.
APC faithful, delegates and supporters were seen arriving peacefully at the venue as collation officers presented results from various local government areas.
Douye Diri, the Bayelsa State Governor, who served as the State Collation and Returning Officer for the exercise, described the process as peaceful and successful, praising party members for their orderly conduct during the primaries.
“We are in the coalition center, our presidential party primaries coalition center, taking place here in the Banquet Hall. You have conducted yourselves so well. The exercise has been peaceful. And all of those who contested and lost, you still have to be party men,” Diri said.
Governor Douye noted that the APC primaries in the state, which started with the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections, were concluded peacefully without major crises, unlike previous exercises that were often characterized by tension.
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“You know how toxic our party primaries used to be in the state, particularly in our party. And today, all of that toxicity has been wiped away,” he stated.
At the conclusion of the collation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu polled 39,454 votes in Brass, 45,949 in Ekeremor, 22,593 in Kolokuma/Opokuma, 32,487 in Nembe, 24,896 in Ogbia, 46,283 in Sagbama, 74,136 in Southern Ijaw, and 30,834 in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
His sole opponent, Stanley Osifo, recorded five votes in Yenagoa Local Government Area and none in the other local government areas, giving him a total of five votes.
Earlier, Warman Ogoriba, the Bayelsa State APC Chairman, praised party members for maintaining peace throughout the process. “This is one of the most peaceful elections in Bayelsa State, and as a party, we are really proud of you,” Warman said.
After observing the exercise in Ward 8, Ekeremor Local Government Area, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, also described the process as peaceful and transparent.
“We are very happy that this exercise started peacefully and is ending peacefully as well. What we have witnessed here is similar to what took place across all the wards in the local government area,” Heineken said.
He maintained that the APC remained united and prepared for the 2027 elections.
“There is practically no other political party in my area or in the state again. What you have now is a united APC,” he stated.
Elsewhere in Ebedebiri community, party members also turned out peacefully for the exercise as stakeholders and party leaders observed the process.
Peter Peretubo Akpe, the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, voted at his polling unit alongside other APC chieftains in what party officials described as a calm and orderly process.
The collation centre maintained a festive atmosphere after the final announcement, as party supporters sang solidarity songs and applauded the outcome of the exercise.
