The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, and his long-term political ally, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, have reconciled their political differences with a resolve to work together for the development of the State.
Diri reconciled with Alaibe on Sunday at the Bayelsa State Government House in the presence of their political allies.
The former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission was in the company of former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Austin Opara; and former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, when he met with the governor.
Alaibe contested the Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial ticket in 2019 with 20 other aspirants, including then Senator Diri, who eventually emerged the candidate.
Alaibe, who felt shortchanged in the primaries, instituted a pre-election case challenging the primaries process up to the Supreme Court, where his case was finally dismissed.
Alaib, had stayed away from the PDP in the State as well as the Prosperity Government since inauguration on February 14, 2020.
At the reconciliation meeting in Yenagoa, sources close to the meeting quoted Alaibe as acknowledging his long standing relationship with Governor Diri in almost 20 years of political journey together.
Diri had been a member of the kitchen cabinet of the Alaibe political family since 2002 and supported the former NDDC boss’s governorship bids on three occasions in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
Our source informed that Alaibe observed that truly power comes from God and that he has returned to support his brother, the governor to succeed.
He said: “We are one people.
“We know ourselves and I am happy to see these faces with the Governor here.
“I am here to support my brother for us to move Bayelsa State forward.
“The development of this State should be our interest.”
Governor Diri reportedly thanked his friends from Rivers State who brokered the reconciliation, and noted that himself and Alaibe shared a common vision as sons of the same Local Government Area of Kolokuma/Opokuma.
Diri had described the reunion as historic and lauded Alaibe for taking the bold step in this peace move.
While calling on politicians of Bayelsa extraction to eschew politics of bitterness and acrimony and place the development of the State above board, our source confirmed that the governor also called on them to jettison their individual differences for the project Bayelsa.
Among those who joined the governor to receive Alaibe were two serving members of the State House of Assembly from Kolokuma/Opokuma, Rt. Hon. Tonye Isenah and Hon. Wisdom Fafi; Moa Anyamah; Engr. Olice Kemenanabo; and Principal Secretary, Government House, Irorodamie Komonibo.
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