After 2 years of bickering, Gov Diri, Alaibe reconcile

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has reconciled with former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Nditumi Alaibe, his estranged political ally, two years after the 2019 governorship election in the state.

Both politicians were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants during the party primary, but after he lost to Diri, Alaibe complained of manipulation, a situation that soured the relationship between the duo.

Governor Diri won the governorship primary with 561 votes while Alaibe scored 365 votes. Alaibe however rejected the outcome of the primaries and pursued his case up to the Supreme Court where he lost.

He however extended an olive branch to Governor Diri after exhausting his legal options but his peace effort was rejected by the governor who described such peace offering as belated.

They are both from the same Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area and have been political associates for over 20 years.

It was gathered that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, played a major role in reconciling the duo.

He was said to have prevailed on

Governor Diri, during his last week visit to Yenagoa, to end the feud with Alaibe.

Alaibe, who visited Governor Diri at his official residence in the Bayelsa government house on Sunday, accepted the reconciliation effort initiated by Governor Wike for peace in the state.

He confirmed the development in a statement issued a few hours after the meeting, saying that the reconciliation was achieved after persistent interventions by mutual friends, business partners and political associates.

Responding, Governor Douye Diri, said he was glad that they have been reconciled.