Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on Wednesday, formally resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marking the end of his long association with the opposition party.
The governor announced his resignation during a cabinet meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa, the state capital.
“Today, I have formally resigned my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party for very obvious reasons,” Diri declared before members of the state executive council and top aides.
Although he did not elaborate on the “obvious reasons,” sources within the government hinted that the decision may not be unconnected with ongoing political realignments in the South-South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Diri expressed appreciation to his supporters and party loyalists who had stood by him throughout his political journey, assuring them that his next political steps would be guided by the interest of Bayelsa people.
“I am grateful to all my friends and supporters who have stood by us and with us, and I want to thank all of you,” he said. “Together, we will continue to build a strong, virile Bayelsa State and a strong and virile country by extension.”
Reliable sources told PLATFORM TIMES that several members of Diri’s cabinet and some lawmakers in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly have also tendered their resignation letters from the PDP, pledging allegiance to the governor’s next political move.
The development comes less than 24 hours after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also announced his defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) — a move that has further shaken the already fragile opposition landscape.
Diri’s resignation has further depleted the PDP’s control across the country, leaving the party in charge of only eight states.
Political observers believe Diri’s exit could mark the beginning of a new wave of defections within the party as it struggles to retain its foothold in the southern region.
The Bayelsa governor, who rose to prominence after the 2020 Supreme Court judgment that nullified the election of the APC candidate and declared him governor, has been one of the prominent PDP figures in the Niger Delta.
As of press time, Diri had yet to announce his new political platform, but multiple sources confirmed that consultations were ongoing with key figures within the APC at the national level.
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