Senator Shehu Sani has expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s congratulatory message to Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State following his victory in the November 11 governorship election on the PDP platform. Sani acknowledged the rarity of such presidential congratulations, deeming them commendable.
In a tweet, Senator Sani stated, “The Presidential Congratulations to the election victory of Bayelsa Governor Diri is unprecedented and commendable.” However, he noted that this might not be the first instance of a president extending congratulations to an opposition governor after winning an off-cycle election in Nigeria.
Sani pointed out that before leaving office, former President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated Governor Adebayo Adeleke of Osun State for his triumph in a governorship election where he defeated an APC incumbent governor. This historical context suggests that President Tinubu’s congratulations to Governor Diri may not be as unprecedented as initially indicated by Sani.
