Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marking a significant political shift.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during a meeting at an expanded executive council chamber of the Bayelsa State Government House.
Governor Diri stated that after thorough consultations, he decided to step down from his membership in the PDP.
However, Diri did not disclose the specific reasons behind his resignation nor reveal which political party he intends to join.
“Today, October 15, 2025, in accordance with established protocols, I hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.
While the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, was not present at the meeting due to official duties, the governor assured that those absent were engaged on state business.
He also mentioned that all local government chairpersons within the state would follow his lead in exiting the party.
Backing the governor’s decision, 23 lawmakers from the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, including Speaker Abraham Ngobere, attended the meeting along with 10 other members of the House.
Currently, the 24-member House is composed of 20 PDP lawmakers, three from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Speaker Ngobere expressed skepticism about PDP’s ability to field a winning presidential candidate in the upcoming 2027 elections.
Governor Diri’s departure comes just a day after Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah publicly left the PDP for the APC.
Mbah, who made his announcement during a statewide broadcast on Tuesday, emphasised that his move was motivated by the desire to better serve his constituents rather than political betrayal.
“This is not betrayal nor abandonment. It is about fulfilling the mandate given to me by the people through a platform that can best serve their interests,” Mbah said in a statement to the press shortly after declaring his defection.
This latest shift follows a pattern seen earlier this year when Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno left the PDP and joined the ruling APC, bringing along many of their political appointees and officials.
The PDP has expressed disappointment over the exit of prominent governors from its ranks, particularly lamenting the defection of Enugu’s Peter Mbah.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, urged remaining PDP governors to uphold their responsibilities as opposition leaders entrusted with power by voters.
“We are deeply saddened by these developments, especially considering what we know behind the scenes.
”Nevertheless, people have the right to choose their path, and the consequences of those choices will follow,” Ologunagba stated during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Ologunagba also acknowledged the presence of internal saboteurs within the party who continue to undermined its progress.
However, he remained optimistic about the upcoming PDP national convention scheduled for November in Ibadan, Oyo State, which he believed would revitalize the party’s foundation and improve its electoral prospects.
“We are aware of some individuals working against the party from within, but we are actively addressing these issues,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu welcomed the defections to the ruling party and expressed no interest in intervening in opposition disputes.
Speaking at the National Assembly during Democracy Day celebrations, Tinubu said the APC’s doors remained open to opposition members who wish to join.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving should focus on their internal affairs instead of conjuring imaginary enemies.
”As for me, I will not assist them in fixing their problems. It is indeed a pleasure to witness the opposition in such disarray,” Tinubu remarked to applause from APC lawmakers.
If formally accepted into the APC, Governor Diri’s defection will leave the PDP with only one governor in the South-East and South-South regions, Rivers State’s Siminalayi Fubara and reduce the party’s nationwide governorship count to eight.
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