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By Oscar Okhifo, Abuja
Barely a month to the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on Wednesday, announced his resignation from the party, ending months of speculation over his political future.
Governor Diri made the announcement during a meeting with top government officials at the Executive Council Chamber in the Government House, Yenagoa.
The move came as a shock to many within the party, coming barely 24 hours after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources close to the governor confirmed that 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, have also resigned from the PDP, citing irreconcilable differences within the party’s leadership structure in the state.
Although Governor Diri did not immediately disclose his next political destination, multiple reports indicate that he is set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party.
The defection marks a significant realignment in Bayelsa’s political landscape, which has been a PDP stronghold since the return of democracy in 1999.
Political observers say the development could shift the balance of power in the South-South region and deal a fresh blow to the PDP, which has been struggling to retain key states following the 2023 general elections.
Diri’s exit follows months of rumours and internal party disputes. Earlier this year, a group known as the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum had urged the governor to join the APC, arguing that aligning with the federal government would benefit the state.
Despite publicly dismissing such suggestions in the past, Diri’s decision to quit the PDP appears to confirm growing cracks within the opposition party at both state and national levels.
As of press time, neither the PDP national leadership nor the governor’s media team had issued an official statement on his next political move