Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announcing the decision on Wednesday at the Executive Council chamber of the Bayelsa State Government House. He did not disclose the political party he intends to join, though reports suggest a move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is imminent.
The governor’s decision reportedly received backing from 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker. The resignation comes a day after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, left the PDP for the APC, signalling a potential trend of high-profile defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Udengs Eradiri, former President of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide and an APC chieftain in Bayelsa, had earlier welcomed Diri’s reported plan to join the party. He urged the governor to use his position to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve internal disputes within the APC, particularly between the camps of former Governor Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri.
Eradiri emphasised that any attempt to sideline Sylva would be counterproductive. “Former Governor Sylva has contributed immensely to the development of APC. All those people throwing stones at Sylva today were not there when Sylva was toiling and building this party. You cannot just push him aside,” he said, stressing the need for Diri to apply his “peaceful demeanour” to reconcile competing interests within the party.
He added that Diri’s capacity for consensus-building and conflict resolution would be vital in repositioning the APC in Bayelsa, warning that failure to unify the party could undermine potential development gains for the state. “We expect that you bring your peaceful demeanour to come and override these interests and lead it as a peaceful house. Bayelsa has a lot of benefits to derive from the APC if we are a strong, united family,” Eradiri said.
Eradiri also highlighted the strategic advantages of aligning with the ruling party, citing potential access to federal support, increased investor confidence, and inclusion in national decision-making forums. “If you are in the ruling party, they will secure the investments for you. On the sidelines, the governor can be marketing the state, and because you are always with the President, there is confidence in the investments or transactions,” he added.
Governor Diri is expected to formally announce his next political platform in the coming days, with stakeholders across the state closely monitoring developments that could reshape Bayelsa’s political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.
