BAYELSA State Governor, Douye Diri, has formally announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
He said his decision was driven by the need to “save Bayelsa from sinking” amid what he described as the PDP’s “terminal decline.”
Diri’s declaration took place during a grand rally on Monday in Yenagoa, the state capital.
“We tried all we could to save the PDP but to no avail. Undertakers were very busy to bury the PDP. After seeing that the undertakers wanted to bury the PDP, I never wanted my state to be buried alongside with PDP,” he said.
Diri, who had announced his resignation from the PDP on October 15, said he had spent years trying to stabilise the party, but it had fallen into the hands of what he called ‘undertakers’ who had taken control of its structures.
“So knowing what was going on, after all my consultations with all the leaders, it was incumbent on me as governor to make a decision,” Diri said.
He stated that his defection signified not merely a political shift in Bayelsa, but a broader realignment within the Ijaw nation.
“This defection is not a Bayelsa defection. It is the Ijaw nation defecting to APC,” Diri declared.
The governor also dismissed claims that his departure from the PDP could jeopardise his mandate.
“There is only one way a governor will lose his office, by impeachment from the State House of Assembly.
“And in this situation, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the majority of the members are going with me,” he stated.
Several high-profile figures from the ruling party, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, who led the presidential delegation; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; the APC National Chairman; serving ministers; and governors from across the country were in attendance of the ceremony.
Diri commended the APC national leadership for welcoming him into the party, saying Bayelsa needed to align with a national platform that allows it greater political space and relevance.
In recent months, The ICIR reported a pattern of defections from the PDP to the ruling APC, particularly among governors and lawmakers seeking to align with the federal government.
Kaila Dahuwa Samaila, the Senator representing Bauchi North and three members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State also announced their departure from the PDP last month, citing persistent internal crises within the party.
The move further tipped the balance of power in favour of President Bola Tinubu’s party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, last month admitted that the party was battling internal sabotage, expressing disappointment over recent defections, including that of Governor Mbah, but maintained that the PDP would recover through reforms and discipline.
Meanwhile, the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, has repeatedly described the wave of defections as evidence of the party’s growing dominance and the appeal of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, particularly in regions historically controlled by the opposition.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.