Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Diri, who announced this on Wednesday at the exco chamber in the Bayelsa State Government House.
He said his decision was for an obvious reason, but did not state the reason or the political party to which he will be moving.
“After extensive consultations, today, October 15, 2025, I wish to notify you that, in keeping with the extant protocols, I, Governor Douye Diri, do hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he announced.
The Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, was absent, but the governor said all those not present at the meeting were on official assignments.
He also stated that the chairmen of all the local government areas will move with him.
His decision was backed by 23 members of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Abraham Ngobere.
The meeting was attended by 10 members of the House of Assembly.
The 24-member House of Assembly has 20 PDP lawmakers, three All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, and one member from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The Speaker said the PDP does not have the ability to present a presidential candidate and win the 2027 election.
Diri’s defection came 24 hours after his Enugu State counterpart, Peter Mbah, dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mbah officially dumped the PDP for the APC on Tuesday during a state-wide broadcast to the people of the state.
He said the move was driven by the need to better serve the interests of the people of the state, and not a betrayal.
“This is not a betrayal; it is also not abandoning.
“It is more about thinking I was entrusted with the people’s mandate by the people, and it is also a cost on me carrying that same mandate on a platform that will best serve the people,” the governor told journalists shortly after announcing his defection.
The two governors’ defection came months after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, moved to the ruling party with all their officials and appointees earlier in the year.
But the PDP said it was disappointed by the defection of the Enugu governor to the APC.
It urged serving governors in the PDP to continue to recognise their role as leaders in the opposition party entrusted with political power by the people who voted for them.
“The PDP is utterly disappointed by those actions, having regard to what we know behind the scene. But having said that, people have a right to decide what they want to do; the consequences can follow,” the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday.
Ologunagba also said that the PDP was aware of moles undermining the party’s progress.
He, however, assured that the PDP national convention scheduled to be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November would help rejuvenate the party from its foundation and reposition it for future elections.
“There are some people from within our fold that continue the undermine the party and its progress. We recognise that, but we are dealing with that,” he added.
But President Bola Tinubu said the APC would not close its doors to members of the opposition parties who chose to join the ruling party.
He also said he would neither bother about the crisis in the opposition parties nor help them fix the problems, adding that it was a pleasure to see opposition parties in disarray.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist,” Tinubu said while addressing the joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day.
“For me, I will not say, ‘Try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you to do so either.’ It is indeed a pleasure to witness you in such disarray,” the President added amid cheers from supporters and federal lawmakers on the platform of the APC.
When formally received by the leadership of the APC, Diri’s defection will reduce the number of PDP governors in the South-East and South-South to one — Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State — and eight nationwide. (Channels)
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