The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election in Bayelsa State on Saturday ended with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu securing an overwhelming victory, polling a total of 277,192 votes across the eight local government areas of the state.
The result was officially announced at the APC Presidential Primary Election Collation Centre held at the Government House Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, where delegates, party leaders, stakeholders and electoral officials gathered for the collation of results from the 105 wards in the state.
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.
Party faithful, delegates and supporters were seen arriving calmly at the venue as collation officers submitted results from different local government areas.
Bayelsa State Governor and State Collation and Returning Officer for the exercise, Douye Diri, described the exercise as peaceful and successful, commending party members for their 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,” he said.
The governor noted that the APC primaries in the state, which began with the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections, were concluded without major crisis, unlike previous exercises that were often marred by tension.
“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 end of the collation, Tinubu secured 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 only opponent, Stanley Osifo, scored five votes in Yenagoa Local Government Area and zero votes in all other local government areas, bringing his total votes to five.
Earlier, the Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Warman Ogoriba, 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,” Ogoriba said.
Speaking after monitoring the exercise in Ward 8, Ekeremor Local Government Area, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, also described the exercise 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,” he said.
Lokpobiri added 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.
In Ebedebiri community, party members also turned out peacefully for the exercise as stakeholders and party leaders monitored the process.
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Peter Peretubo Akpe, voted at his polling unit alongside other APC chieftains in what party officials described as a calm and orderly process.
The atmosphere at the collation centre remained celebratory after the final announcement, with party supporters chanting solidarity songs and applauding the outcome of the exercise.
