By Samuel Oyadongha

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State yesterday declared that no newspaper has carried more stories about the Niger Delta than Vanguard Newspaper.

Diri stated this in his office at Government House in Yenagoa when he received his letter of Award for Good Governance from the management of the Vanguard Group led by its Saturday Vanguard Editor, Mr. Onochie Anibeze and Mr. Wale Akinola, Editor, Sunday Vanguard.

The honour was in recognition of the governor’s purposeful leadership and commitment to good governance in the state, particularly in promoting peace, stability and infrastructure development.

He expressed his appreciation to Mr. Sam Amuka, chairman of Vanguard Group, and the newspaper’s management and staff for the honour.

Diri, who attributed his administration achievements to God and the people of the state, added that the award would further spur him to give his best to the state.

He said, “I want to believe your words and your newspaper. For us from the Niger Delta, if we have anything, it is you that we come to. There is no doubt about that.

“There is no newspaper that carries more stories about the Niger Delta than Vanguard Newspaper. Tell Uncle Sam that he is doing well, and his paper is doing well.


“We want you guys to up the game; a journalist is one person every politician should be afraid of because if you don’t do the right thing, the journalist will certainly come for you, and once in a while, for those who do the right thing you recognize them, it encourages us.

“So, no matter what people say, there are still those who do not see what we are doing. We feel very encouraged by this award. God willing, we will officially communicate to you the way you have done to say we accept the award. So, please also try to encourage the other outlets; let them not give out awards indiscriminately.”

Continuing, he said, “Some people have asked, we have not heard you go to borrow money, and then you are doing projects of over N50b. How are you getting the money?”


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/no-newspaper-has-covered-niger-delta-like-vanguard-gov-diri/