This is a list of administrators and governors of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Bayelsa State was formed in 1996 from part of Rivers State.
Name | Title | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phillip Ayeni | Administrator | 7 October 1996 | 28 February 1997 | Military | |
Habu Daura | Administrator | 28 February 1997 | 27 June 1997 | Military | |
Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade | Administrator | 27 June 1997 | 9 July 1998 | Military | |
Paul Obi | Administrator | 9 July 1998 | 29 May 1999 | Military | |
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha | Governor | 29 May 1999 | 9 December 2005 | PDP | |
Goodluck Jonathan | Governor | 9 December 2005 | 29 May 2007 | PDP | |
Timipre Sylva | Governor | 29 May 2007 | 16 April 2008 | PDP | |
Werinipre Seibarugo | Acting Governor | 16 April 2008 | 27 May 2008 | Acting governor after Timipre Sylva's election was nullified. | |
Timipre Sylva | Governor | 27 May 2008 | 27 January 2012 | PDP | Re-elected |
Nestor Binabo | Acting Governor | 27 January 2012 | 14 February 2012 | Acting governor after Timipre Sylva's tenure was terminated by the Supreme Court. | |
Henry Dickson | Governor | 14 February 2012 | 14 February 2020 | PDP | |
Duoye Diri | Governor | 14 February 2020 | Incumbent | PDP | Affirmed Governor-Elect by Supreme Court after he lost the election |
Bayelsa is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital, Yenagoa, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. It shares a boundary with Rivers State to the east and Delta State to the north across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of 10,773 square kilometres (4,159 sq mi). The state comprises eight local government areas: Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Brass and Southern Ijaw. The state is the smallest in Nigeria by population as of the 2006 census. Being in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa State has a riverine and estuarine setting, with bodies of water within the state preventing the development of significant road infrastructure.
Diepreye Solomon Peter "D.S.P." Alamieyeseigha was a Nigerian politician who was Governor of Bayelsa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 9 December 2005.
The Nigeria Federation Cup is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria contested by 74 teams, representing the 36 states + 1 FCT of Nigeria. It is the Nigerian domestic cup and the Nigerian equivalent of the FA Cup, Emperor's Cup, Copa do Brasil, Coupe de France, and Hrvatski nogometni kup, among others. The tournament was created in 1945 as the "Governor's Cup", succeeding the War Memorial Challenge Cup that had been limited to teams from Lagos.
Timipre Marlin Sylva is a Nigerian politician who served as the minister of state for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as governor of Bayelsa State from 2007 to 2012.
Ekeremor is one of the eight local government areas (LGAs) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It borders Delta State and has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Bonny. Its headquarters are in the town of Ekeremor in the northeast of the area.
Heineken Lokpobiri is a Nigerian politician who is the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil). He previously served as minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019, and as Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2015. He is a former speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff was the first Military Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria after it was created from part of the old Eastern Region, Nigeria. He held office from May 1967 until July 1975 during the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon. He was also a member of the Supreme Military Council.
Melford Obiene Okilo had a long and distinguished career as a politician in Nigeria from the start of independence in 1960 until shortly before his death in 2008. He was a member of parliament (1956–1964) and a Minister in the Nigerian First Republic. He was the first elected Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria (1979–1983) during the Nigerian Second Republic. Later he was Senator for Bayelsa East, in Bayelsa State (1999–2003) during the Nigerian Fourth Republic.
Navy Captain Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade is a former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State, Nigeria who was appointed Minister of Special Duties on 6 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.
Lt. Colonel (retired) Paul Edor Obi was Administrator of Bayelsa State, Nigeria from July 1998 to May 1999 during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Adawari Michael Pepple was elected Senator for the Rivers South East constituency of Rivers State, Nigeria at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999.
Henry Seriake Dickson CON is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He is the Senator representing Bayelsa West since 2020 in the 9th National Assembly. He was the governor of Bayelsa State from 14 February 2012 to 14 February 2020. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2007 until 2012.
Nestor K. Binabo was a Nigerian politician and former teacher who briefly served as the acting Governor of Bayelsa State, in southern Nigeria, from January to February 2012. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he also served as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. After leaving office, he was a member of the All Progressives Congress until his death in 2023.
Douye Diri is a Nigerian politician who has served as the governor of Bayelsa State since 2020. He was the senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District from 2019 to 2020 in the 9th National Assembly.
The 2015 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election occurred in Nigeria on December 5, 2015. The PDP nominee Henry Seriake Dickson won the election, defeating Timipre Sylva of the APC.
The 2012 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election occurred on February 11, 2012. PDP's Seriake Dickson won election for a first term, defeating other party candidates. Dickson received 89% of the total vote.
The 2003 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election occurred on April 19, 2003. Incumbent Governor, PDP's Diepreye Alamieyeseigha won election for a second term, defeating ANPP's Millionaire Abowei and two other candidates.
The 2008 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election occurred on May 24, 2008. Incumbent PDP Governor Timipre Sylva won re-election in the supplementary election, defeating AC candidate, Ebitimi Amgbare, to emerge winner. Sylva won in six LGAs of the state.
The 2019 Nigerian Senate election in Bayelsa State was held on February 23, 2019, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Bayelsa State. Douye Diri representing Bayelsa Central, and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo representing Bayelsa West both won on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (Nigeria), while Biobarakuma Degi representing Bayelsa East won on the platform of All Progressives Congress.
The 2023 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election took place on 11 November 2023 to elect the Governor of Bayelsa State. Incumbent PDP Governor Douye Diri won reelection. The primaries were scheduled for between 27 March and 17 April 2022.