Governor Douye Diri Resigns From PDP, 23 Bayelsa Lawmakers Follow Suit

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending weeks of speculation about his political future. The dramatic move, confirmed on Wednesday, also saw 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly defect alongside the governor in what is being described as one of the most significant political shakeups in the state’s recent history.

Governor Diri, who has led Bayelsa since 2020 under the PDP platform, reportedly cited the need to align with “national realities and the evolving aspirations of Bayelsans” as reasons for his decision. His resignation follows mounting internal divisions within the state chapter of the PDP and growing speculation about his impending defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to reliable sources, the lawmakers’ collective decision to follow the governor was reached after a series of closed-door meetings in Yenagoa and Abuja. The defectors are expected to be formally received by the national leadership of the APC at a ceremony to be held soon.

Political observers say Diri’s exit deals a major blow to the PDP’s dominance in Bayelsa, one of its traditional strongholds in the South-South. The development also signals a strategic realignment that could reshape the political balance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reactions have begun to trail the announcement. While APC leaders in the state have welcomed the move as a “sign of renewed confidence in the ruling party,” PDP chieftains described it as “a betrayal of the mandate freely given by Bayelsans.”

Governor Diri is yet to officially declare his new political affiliation, but multiple sources within both parties confirm that negotiations with top APC figures have been concluded.

As of press time, the PDP national leadership had not issued an official statement on the governor’s resignation.