Muslim community in Bayelsa endorses Gov. Diri’s re-election bid

The Muslim community in Bayelsa has thrown its weight behind the second term bid of Gov. Douye Diri and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in the Nov. 11 gubernatorial election in Bayalsa.

The community gave the endorsement at a special banquet organized for the Muslim faithful by the Bayelsa Government to mark the 2023 Eid-el Kabir celebration at the Government House in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

During the ceremony, the Chairman of the Council for Islamic Affairs in the state, Alhaji Yakubu Otobo, said the Muslim Ummah was fully supporting the governor’s re-election bid due to the numerous verifiable projects his administration had successfully executed in the state.

Otobo, who spoke through his Vice, Malam Usman Galadanchi, listed the projects to include phase two of the New Gateway road, the Nembe-Brass, Sagbama-Ekeremor, and the Yenagoa-Oporoma roads.

Others included the Onopa bridge linking the New Yenagoa City, the New Judges Quarters, and the state-of-the-art Ernest Ikoli Media Complex.

The Islamic leader noted that Eid-el-Kabir was the most significant sacrificial feast in the Muslim calendar and thanked the state government for always hosting Muslim faithful to mark their various religious festivals.

He thanked the Prosperity Administration for creating a peaceful environment for businesses to thrive in all parts of the state and pledged that Muslims were poised to reciprocate the love shown them by working for the reelection of the governor in spite of his Christian background.

He said: “Your Excellency, the Council appreciates this administration for your love for the Muslim community in Bayelsa State.

“We will continue to appreciate the Prosperity Administration for creating a peaceful environment for our businesses across the state.

“We want to also thank you for giving 10 Hajj Seats to the Muslim community. We are not Oliver Twist, but we are asking for more Hajj seats come 2024.

“As Muslims in the state, we pray that Allah continuously open all your doors of favor and give you more wisdom to pilot the affairs of Bayelsa State.

“We also say congratulations, Your Excellency, in advance for your re-election,” he said.

The Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, called on Muslim faithful in the state and across the nation to use the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to learn to give sacrificially like the Prophet Ibrahim did.

Ewhrudjakpo encouraged Muslims to see everyone as members of the same human family, irrespective of their religious faith, and make the necessary sacrifices for all to live together in peace and unity in every part of the country.

He underscored the fact that the celebration was really “a true reminder for everyone to live for others and not to be self-centered”, adding that peace entailed people sacrificing their anger and grievances to allow for peaceful coexistence.

Ewhrudjakpo said Gov. Diri and his team would do more for the state when they were reelected in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

He expressed gratitude to the Muslim Ummah for their support and assured that they would be carried along in the forthcoming governorship campaigns as requested,” he said.