The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobri, gave the commendation on Wednesday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa.

During the state cabinet meeting, the governor welcomed the team, which included David Lyon, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the state in the 2019 governorship poll, and Israel Sunny-Goli, the immediate past member of the House of Representatives from the Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency.

Senator Lokpobiri said he was in the state on President Bola Tinubu’s directive during Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting for his appointees to join forces with state governors to ensure the planned nationwide protest does not get violent.

While appealing to youths from oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta to jettison the protest, the Petroleum Minister thanked Governor Diri for engaging with various socio-cultural, youth, and student groups to maintain peace in the state.

He acknowledged that some of the protest’s alleged sponsors’ demands were valid but asked for patience while the government addressed them.

“We are here to first of all commend you for your exceptional leadership. The world is a global village, and everything you do here is well known. So, I am here to extend the commendation of Mr. President for the excellent work you are doing,” he said.

“As ministers, Mr. President gave us a very clear directive that we work with the governors at this particular time to ensure that there is peace and that there is no need for violent protest in our respective states.

“After our Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, Mr. President directed us to liaise with our governors to ensure that we do not have a repeat of the 2020 #EndSARS.

“Bayelsa people are known for our peaceful nature. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude for the efforts you have made since the beginning of this protest. I am here to complement what you are doing.”

As the highest-ranking minister in the party, Lokpobri further asserted his leadership of the APC in the state, emphasizing that his leadership brought unity to the party, in contrast to Timipre Sylva’s “one-man show.”

In his remarks, Governor Diri thanked Lokpobri for giving the state proper representation in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

On the August 1 protest, the governor acknowledged the rights of the people to protest in a democracy but stressed that there must be a good reason, which he argued can be resolved through dialogue.

He said his administration deployed dialogue from the beginning, and because of his performance, the people were re-elected for another term. He called on Bayelsans to come to the roundtable to resolve any grievance against the government’s policies.

Diri reiterated his advice to the people not to participate in the protest, citing its orchestration by failed politicians in the state.

He stated that there will be no public holiday in the state, as all government offices, markets, and businesses will be open for normal daily activities.