Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on Monday formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying he made the move to protect the state from what he described as the PDP’s “terminal decline.”
The declaration took place at a grand reception held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, which was transformed into a rally ground decorated with APC flags, banners, and stages.
Thousands of supporters, women’s groups, youth blocs, and cultural troupes thronged the venue in celebration of the governor’s defection.
Diri, who resigned from the PDP on October 15, said he had made several efforts to stabilize the party but could no longer watch as what he called “undertakers” took control of its structures.
“We tried all we could to save the PDP but to no avail. The undertakers were busy burying the party. I never wanted my state to be buried along with it,” he said.
The governor explained that after wide consultations with political leaders and stakeholders, he decided to join the APC to ensure Bayelsa’s political and developmental survival.
“This decision is not just about Bayelsa; it represents a larger movement, the Ijaw nation is moving to the APC,” he declared.
Diri, a known Ijaw activist, referenced his long-standing advocacy for the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, noting that President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the project aligns with the aspirations of the coastal communities.
“For years, we demanded this road linking Lagos to Calabar. Today, President Tinubu has shown the will to make it happen. Are we going to abandon such a man?” he asked rhetorically.
Responding to speculations that his defection might cost him his office, Diri dismissed the claims, insisting that only impeachment by the State House of Assembly could remove a sitting governor.
“The Speaker and majority of the Assembly members are with me. There’s no threat to my mandate,” he stated confidently.
The event drew prominent figures from the ruling APC, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, who led the presidential delegation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, APC governors, serving ministers, and other national leaders.
Also in attendance were Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, former Edo Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh.
Diri expressed gratitude to the APC leadership for welcoming him, saying Bayelsa needed to align with a national political platform that could ensure growth and inclusion.
“Bayelsa must align with a national force that gives us room to breathe politically. The APC provides that opportunity,” he said.
