Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure significantly more votes across the South-South in the January 16, 2027 presidential election than he received in the region during the 2023 polls.
Diri said the growing influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC), coupled with what he described as the Tinubu administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the Niger Delta, would translate into increased electoral support for the President.
The governor made the declaration on Thursday through his deputy, Dr Peter Akpe, who represented him at the flag-off of the APC presidential campaign in Benin City, Edo State.
Speaking with journalists after the rally, Akpe maintained that the majority of voters across the South-South would support Tinubu’s re-election bid, arguing that the ruling party had strengthened its political position in the region.
He attributed the anticipated improvement in the President’s electoral performance to the Federal Government’s interventions and what he described as its willingness to address longstanding regional concerns.
Diri also expressed satisfaction with the turnout at the Benin rally and other campaign events held across the country, describing the support for the APC as an indication of the party’s growing acceptance ahead of the elections.
He expressed optimism that the momentum would translate into a decisive victory for Tinubu when Nigerians go to the polls.
On Bayelsa’s contribution to the President’s re-election campaign, the governor dismissed suggestions that the APC lacked sufficient political strength in the state.
He insisted that the party remained a dominant political force in Bayelsa and was prepared to mobilise support for Tinubu and other APC candidates.
“The APC is not only predominant but remains the party to beat in Bayelsa,” he declared.
Diri’s prediction comes against the backdrop of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in October 2025, a political development that strengthened the ruling party’s position in a state traditionally regarded as a PDP stronghold.
The governor had previously pledged to deliver substantial votes for Tinubu in Bayelsa, including a target of at least one million votes during the 2027 election campaign.
Meanwhile, the APC’s renewed mobilisation across the South-South has featured campaign rallies and public endorsements by governors and other political leaders in the region.
At Thursday’s Edo rally, the state’s governor, Monday Okpebholo, also pledged massive support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima highlighted ongoing Federal Government projects and promised continued investment in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy and security.
Tinubu’s electoral performance in the South-South will be closely watched in 2027, particularly as the region delivered substantial support to opposition candidates during the 2023 presidential election.
The presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027.
