From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, on Monday, November 10, received another accolade as the Best Governor on Infrastructure Development.
The award was presented by First Daily Newspaper, which marked its fifth anniversary, at the Shehu Musa 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 politicians, diplomats, media executives and activists, which included a former Rivers State governor and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Usani, Reps members, Rodney Ambaiowei and Donald Ojogo.
Others were PANDEF National Chairman, Dr. Boladei Igali, and two former Secretaries to Government of Bayelsa State, Prof. Steve Azaiki and Barr. Kemela Okara.
Also in attendance were ex-Reps member and former NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, serial entrepreneur, Dr. Azibaola Robert, Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers, Onuoha Ukeh, and his ThisNigeria Newspaper counterpart, Eric Osagie, as well as Prof. Sam Amadi, who delivered the 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.
