By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

GOVERNOR Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, yesterday, said he did not know or have contact or relationship with a South African lawmaker, Zanele Sifuba.

Sifuba is at the centre of a trending sex scandal in South Africa over a leaked video tape.

The Director, New Media to the governor, Kola Oredipe, in a statement, explained that Diri had not been to South Africa in the last ten years, describing media reports linking his principal to the trending story involving the female South African parliamentarian as a mere distraction.

Oredipe said that the Facebook account on which the post was made purportedly belonging to the woman was created on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

According to him, the scandal first appeared in the social media in South Africa on Oct 31, and was linked to an unnamed Nigerian youth. The media aide stressed that those behind the post twisted it with a fake account with Diri’s image with the intent to tarnish his image. He wondered how the Bayelsa governor could resort to blackmail for N8 million and urged the public to discountenance the story which he described as untrue and lacking in merit.

The statement is titled, ‘Trending South African Sex Story: A Mere Distraction’, and read in part:

“Let it be stated without any equivocation that Governor Diri does not know and has had no contact or relationship with the said woman at the centre of the scandal. He has also not been to South Africa in the last 10 years.

“While we have read about a purported attempt to collect R300,000 from her, the ‘young blackmailer’ is certainly not Governor Diri.

“Ask the question: why would a governor of an oil-rich state resort to blackmail for a mere R300,000 (about N8 million)? This is simply ridiculous”.