24-Hour Power Promised, ₦12.7bn for Parties — What Happened, Governor?
By Tarakirivoice Editorial Team
To the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri,This is not just another editorial.This is a cry.
A cry from the creeks.A cry from mothers fanning their children in darkness.
A cry from traders whose goods spoil under epileptic power.
A cry from students reading with candlelight in 2026.
Your Excellency, you stood before Bayelsans in confidence and declared that by December 2025, our state would enjoy 24-hour uninterrupted power supply. You made that promise while inspecting the 60-megawatt turbines at Elebele. Hope rose like the tide of the Atlantic.
For once, people believed.Today, it is March 2026.Where is the light?The turbines were shown.The cameras flashed.The speeches were made.But Bayelsa is still in darkness.How do you explain this to the fisherman in Odi?To the market woman in Swali?To the youth who believed this promise would spark industries and create jobs?Hope was raised.And then it was dashed to the floor.
₦12.7 Billion for Parties — In a State in Pain?
While homes remain dark, a report by SaharaReporters reveals that ₦12.7 billion was earmarked in the 2026 budget for ceremonial items — tents, canopies, stages, curtains, podiums — scattered across ministries and agencies.
₦6.5 billion under the Ministry of Finance.₦2.5 billion under Government House.₦2.735 billion under General Services.₦1 billion for the Women Project.Hundreds of millions for decorations and VIP hosting.
₦1.2 billion for international travel.Bayelsans are asking:
Is this governance or celebration?While tents rise for ceremonies, hospitals struggle.
While stages are mounted for speeches, communities remain flooded and underdeveloped.
While billions are spread across departments, electricity remains a promise “in progress.”Is Bayelsa now a festival ground instead of a functioning state?
The Painful Contrast
Between January and September 2025, ₦401 million was reportedly spent on international medical expenses, while only ₦5.5 million went toward capital projects at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital.How can this be justified?What message does this send to Bayelsans who cannot afford treatment abroad?Are we saying our hospitals are not worth investing in — but parties are?
A Direct Appeal to the President, Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,Bayelsa is part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The allocations flowing into the state are substantial. The people are watching. The Niger Delta is watching. The international community is watching.
When a governor publicly promises uninterrupted power by a fixed date and fails without transparent explanation, credibility is shaken — not just at the state level, but nationally.
This is no longer local politics.It is about public accountability.Governor Diri, Bayelsans Deserve Answers
Your Excellency:Why was the December 2025 power promise not fulfilled?
What is the current status of the Elebele turbines?Why is ₦12.7 billion allocated for ceremonial materials while infrastructure and healthcare struggle?
Why should Bayelsans trust another promise ahead of future elections?Silence will only deepen suspicion.Transparency can restore trust.This Is Bigger Than Politics, Bayelsa is not a campaign platform.It is not a rehearsal ground for higher ambition.It is a homeland.
The allocation coming into this state should reflect in the lives of ordinary people. Roads should speak. Hospitals should speak. Power supply should speak. Jobs should speak.
Right now, the darkness speaks louder than any government statement.
A Final Word
This editorial is not written in hatred.It is written in heartbreak.Bayelsans are not asking for miracles.They are asking for integrity.For accountability.For light — literal and symbolic.Governor Diri, come forward.Address the state.Clarify the budget.Explain the missed deadline.Restore confidence.
Because when promises are broken in darkness,the people begin to ask dangerous questions.And when the people begin to ask questions,history begins to take notes.
Tarakirivoice Editorial Team
