With 5th September as the last day for the conduct of primaries for the Bayelsa Governorship elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its primaries on Tuesday, 3rd and Wednesday, 4th September 2019. In Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri emerged as candidate of the party for the upcoming Governorship Election in the State. Diri polled 561 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Timi Alaibe who scored 365 votes, and 18 other aspirants. The primaries was held in Yenagoa, the Baylesa State capital and was conducted by the party’s Governorship Electoral Committee led by Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State. According to the results declared by Governor Ishaku, there were 1,237 valid votes and 16 invalid votes, bringing the total number of votes cast to 1,253 votes.
The main opposition party in the State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) also held its primaries for the November 16 Bayelsa Governorship election on Tuesday, 3rd and Wednesday 4th September 2019. David Lyon polled 42,138 votes to defeat five other aspirants, and emerged the party’s Candidate for the upcoming election. Diseye Poweigha came in second place with 1,533 votes. The Collation Officer at the primaries, Senator Emmanuel Dangana described the poll as peaceful, free and fair. The primaries was initially scheduled to hold on Thursday, 29th August 2019 but rescheduled to take place on Saturday, 31st August 2019, owing to logistics issues. This was again rescheduled and then held on 3rd and 4th of September, with the APC adopting the direct primaries.