SENATOR Douye Diri, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November elections for the office of governor of Bayelsa State has continued to resist all entreaties to respond to allegations levelled against him by the Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance And Accountability.
In the petition signed by the executive director of the group, Joseph Ambakederimo, they alleged that Sen. Diri failed to declare his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) for the period of 2012 to 2014 when he served as deputy chief of staff to the governor of Bayelsa State, in contravention of extant laws.
According to sources at the CCB, the PDP governorship candidate was supposed to appear at the Abuja offices of the CCB on Monday, October 14, 2019. He did not show up.
Sources at the CCB told this magazine, on the condition of anonymity that Sen. Diri had planned to send a lawyer to represent him, citing campaign commitments. He was informed that the appearance at CCB had to be made by him.
Reliable sources in Yenegoa also informed Elendureports that part of Diri’s strategy is to minimise the importance of the office he occupied from 2012-2014, referring to himself as ‘a mere aide to the governor who did not take the oath of office.’
Elendu Reports is also aware, through contacts at the CCB, that Sen. Diri, who in his INEC form CF 001 described himself as “honest, humble and resourceful…” is attempting a two-pronged strategy to get the CCB problem quashed.
The PDP governorship candidate, with the support of his mentor, Seriaki Dickson, governor of Bayelsa State, is working behind the scenes to have CCB officials pooh-pooh the petition against Sen. Douye Diri.
This magazine is also aware that the governor has reached out to his friend, Joseph Ambakederimo, the executive director of the petitioner to withdraw the petition.
Our attempts to reach Ambakederimo have not been fruitful so far as calls to his MTN line were not answered.
However, this magazine was informed that the Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance And Accountability filed additional information in support of the petition against Sen. Diri at the CCB on Monday 14, October 2019.
There are indications that Sen. Douye Diri may be arraigned at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) within the next one week.
