The Atiku Support Group (ASG) has congratulated Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa on his swearing-in for a second term in office on 14 February 2024.

The group in a statement it issued on Tuesday in Yenagoa ahead of the celebrations through its Director-General Yinkasa Ibrahim described Diri as a ” patriot, a knight and one of the last great leaders flying the PDP flag”.

He said: “Diri was instrumental to our principal’s (Atiku Abubakar) and PDP’s great run in the last election, by the grace of God our great party will reclaim our mandate and give to the people the needed development and prosperity.

“We congratulate our leader Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa. We thank him for his continued support of the Atiku Support Group and the Atiku cause in general. With his steadfast support 2027 will tell a different story and the will of God will be done.

“We take this opportunity to condemn the economic policies of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, poverty and strife is the order of the day.

“The streets are no longer safe and the naira is in a free fall. It is clear to all that all what APC can offer is hardship and cluelessness. We must boot them out of office and install our very dear PDP”.

Ibrahim said the group made up of mostly youths across the country was certain that Diri’s experience, sincerity of purpose and unwavering loyalty would usher in continued prosperity for the people of Bayelsa State.

He recalled how Diri stood firm in his support for Atiku despite the pressure by some of his colleagues, who formed an integrity group, to betray the former Vice-President.

He recognized Diri as a huge financier of Atiku Abubakar and the PDP in the 2023 Presidential election saying the governor frustrated the ambition of a former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to clinch the presidential ticket of the PDP.