Guber Election: ‘Rooms Without Functional Fans, Air Conditioners Are All Paid For’ – Bayelsa Hoteliers Smile To Banks

Hotel owners in the city of Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, are counting their profits ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the state.

THE WHISTER toured many hotels in the city and observed that they were fully booked by mainly security operatives, staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission, election observers and returnees to elect the next governor of the oil-rich state.

Some of the streets whose hotels were booked to the brim are Kansia, Chief Okorie, Saptex, Ọkàka and Palace Road.

“The boom started Wednesday,” says Monday, a manager of a hotel along Suprax Street. He went on, “All our rooms were booked Wednesday evening. We rarely experience such, especially of late.

“Those that are coming are asking for rooms irrespective of the amounts. Some sent their agents to book their rooms ahead of time. Many are stranded because they couldn’t get any.”

Along Okorie Street are some hotels that hitherto did not get regular patronage. Sepiribo, manager of a hotel along the road, said, “Even our rooms that are without fans were paid for. Guests were coming in clusters. Many left because we couldn’t accommodate all. But before 5pm, all our rooms had been booked. Many guests may move to the outskirts.”

It was gathered that prices of rooms range from N10, 000 to N30, 000. A general survey however revealed that Yenagoa does not have much concentration of hotels.