The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children Welfare, Empowerment and Social Development, Hon. Joanah Gigi, has called on members of the Diri/Akpe Believers group to intensify their grassroots mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Gigi made the call when the leadership of the Diri/Akpe Believers in Southern Ijaw paid her a courtesy visit at her office in Yenagoa.
The Commissioner expressed appreciation to the group and described its activities as a welcome development, commending members for their commitment and voluntary efforts.
She said, “I want to highly appreciate you people from the depth of my heart. It is not easy to form a group, and money is not given to fund it, but because of the love you have for the government of Bayelsa State.”
According to her, members of the group should remain committed to their political objectives and work collectively towards achieving them.
“APC is the business we are doing now. We are all working hand in hand to make sure that we achieve our aim. Our objective is to return the party’s flag bearers, from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly, in 2027. That’s our target,” she said.
Gigi urged the group to sustain its grassroots activities, assuring them that their efforts would be recognised.
“So I want to appreciate you people and urge you to put in more effort. Your hard work will not be taken for granted. You are going to be remembered by the grace of God,” she said.
The Commissioner also urged members to remain firm in their political commitment, despite competing political activities ahead of the elections.
“We cannot say we have money to give to you, but what I want to assure us, or advise us, is that we should be firm with the decision we have taken. We have to be firm because we have opposition political parties cropping up from here and there, deceiving people,” she said.
She further appealed to members not to abandon the group’s stated objectives, saying their continued commitment would be important to the party’s grassroots mobilisation.
“This faith you have in APC, please continue with this. We are very, very assured that APC will take the day. With you people, because I cannot do it alone, you are going to your different LGAs, communities and wards,” Gigi said.
She also commended non-indigenous members of the group for their participation in political activities in the state.
“I want to sincerely thank the non-indigenes. You don’t understand our language, but just because of the love and the good works of the administration of the Prosperity Government led by our dear Senator Douye Diri, you people believe in him and trust in him because you have seen the hard work of the government,” she said.
Gigi listed various areas of development in the state and said members of the group had expressed confidence in the administration’s programmes and policies.
She concluded by thanking the group for the visit and wishing Bayelsa State and Nigeria well.
“God bless you. God bless Bayelsa. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said.
Group Explains Mission
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Southern Ijaw Chapter of Diri/Akpe Believers, Deacon Princewill Tobon, expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for the warm reception accorded the group despite the short notice of the visit.
Princewill explained that, contrary to assumptions that might arise from the name of the organisation, the Diri/Akpe Believers was formed to support and showcase what its members described as the achievements of the Assured Prosperity Government led by Governor Douye Diri and Deputy Governor Peter Pereotubo Akpe, PhD.
“We believe in the programmes and policies of the Assured Prosperity Government, and we’ve taken it as a duty to propagate the good works of His Excellency, the Governor, and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State,” he said.
He identified road infrastructure, housing, independent electricity, healthcare and human capital development among the areas the group said it was highlighting in its grassroots sensitisation activities.
“The Governor is lighting up Bayelsa State, and as believers, it’s our duty to tell people of the good works they are doing in Bayelsa State,” Princewill said.
Speaking further, he said the group was also committed to supporting APC candidates in the forthcoming elections in the state.
“We are out to support and work for all our candidates, namely President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the presidency; Senator Friday Konbowei Benson for Bayelsa Central; Hon. Engr. Rodney Ebikebina Ambaiowei for the House of Representatives; and the House of Assembly candidates — Dr. Coronation Edward Tokpo from Southern Ijaw Constituency 1, Hon. Rex Flint from Southern Ijaw Constituency 2, Hon. Chief Kia Nigeria from Southern Ijaw Constituency 3, and Hon. Selekaye Victor Ben from Southern Ijaw Constituency 4,” he said.
Group Says Membership Is Growing
On the strength of the organisation, the Southern Ijaw coordinator said the chapter currently had 105 members, alongside a 75-member local government executive structure established to facilitate grassroots mobilisation.
“Our slogan is ‘APC everywhere you go’. So anywhere you go is APC. We’ve taken this gospel to the markets in Yenagoa through our sensitisation rallies and given aprons to traders free of charge,” he said.
Princewill stressed that the group’s activities were funded through members’ personal contributions.
“This is something that we do from individual sacrifice. We’re not getting money from anywhere or any source. Nobody has given us money; no candidate has given us money. It is just self-production,” he said.
He said the courtesy visit was intended to familiarise the Commissioner with the group and formally communicate its activities and objectives.
“Today, we are here to familiarise ourselves with you, so you should know that the Diri/Akpe Believers are existing and that, as good followers, we are working assiduously to see that APC becomes victorious in the next election,” he said.
Princewill also commended Gigi for what he described as her support for the Assured Prosperity Government and her activities as Commissioner
.
“We appreciate the good work you are doing, and that is the reason why we are here, to also appreciate you and use this medium to appreciate His Excellency through you,” he said.
He further expressed appreciation to Governor Douye Diri and Deputy Governor Peter Pereotubo Akpe for what the group described as their contributions to the development of Bayelsa State.
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