Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has shut down the call on former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to pick him as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
The Tide gathered that a ‘faceless group’ which had sarcastically named itself ‘Diri Angels’ in a recent statement, made the suggestion to Alhaji Abubakar, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election while expressing the hope that he would emerge the party’s candidate again in 2027.
A statement from the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Diri, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said the Bayelsa Chief Executive described the suggestion as a ‘Greek gift’ from political jobbers and that it should be completely disregarded.
The statement added that the Bayelsa governor had said the aim of the group, which he believes is non-existent, was to cause disaffection in some quarters and that the plot had failed.
He emphatically stated that God had always guided him on his political journey and that he was not swayed by any advocacy that was inconsistent with his Godly and political principles.
Governor Diri assured of his commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Bayelsa State based on the mandate they first gave him in 2019 and re-affirmed on November 11, 2023, urging the people of the state not to worry about the antics of political buccaneers whose intention was to cause confusion in an attempt to distract him.
“I am not swayed by such calls. In my political journey, I have always relied on God and not on political jobbers with devious intentions.
“The aim of those behind this act is to cause disaffection, but the plot is dead on arrival as I’m not interested in such a Greek gift.
“I remain committed to the mandate given to me by the Bayelsa people and I’m single-mindedly focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to them. My administration will not be distracted by those who do not mean well for our state”, Governor Diri said.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa