Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Diri made this announcement today in the exco chamber of the Bayelsa State Government House.
He indicated his choice was for a clear reason, but Channels TV says he didn’t say what that reason was or what political party he would be joining.
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the deputy governor, was not there, but the governor indicated that everyone who wasn’t there was on official business.
He also said that all the local government area chairmen will go with him.
Twenty-three members of the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Abraham Ngobere, supported his choice.
There were 10 members of the House of Assembly at the meeting.
There are 20 PDP members, three All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, and one All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) member in the 24-member House of Assembly.
The Speaker declared that the PDP can’t put forth a presidential candidate and win the 2027 election.
Defections
Diri left the party 24 hours after Peter Mbah, his equivalent in Enugu State, did the same thing and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mbah made the switch from the PDP to the APC official yesterday, Tuesday, October 14, 2025, during a state-wide broadcast to the people of the state.
He said the decision was not a betrayal, but rather a way to better serve the people of the state.
“This is not a betrayal, and it’s not leaving either.
“It is more about thinking that the people gave me the mandate and that it is also a cost for me to carry that same mandate on a platform that will best serve the people,” the governor told reporters just after he announced his defection.
The two governors left the party months after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State joined the ruling party with all of their officials and appointments earlier this year.
The PDP, on the other hand, stated they were unhappy that the Enugu governor switched to the APC.
It told current governors in the PDP to remember that they are leaders in the opposition party and that the people who voted for them gave them political authority.
“The PDP is quite unhappy with such measures, given what we know about what happened behind the scenes. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said on Channels Television today, “But that said, people have the right to choose what they want to do; the consequences can follow.”
“Moles Inside PDP”
Ologunagba also revealed that the PDP knew that there were moles working against the party’s growth.
He did say, though, that the PDP national convention that will be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November would help the party get back on its feet and get ready for future elections.
“There are people in our group who are still working against the party and its progress.” “We understand that, but we’re taking care of it,” he said.
Opposition in “Disarray”
President Bola Tinubu indicated, however, that the APC would not turn away members of the opposition parties who wanted to join the ruling party.
He also stated he wouldn’t care about the problems in the opposition parties or assist them fix them. He said it was nice to see the opposition parties in disarray.
Tinubu said this while speaking to the National Assembly in honor of Democracy Day: “Political parties that are afraid of losing members should look at their own processes and affairs instead of making up demons that don’t exist.”
“For me, I won’t say, “Do your best to get your house in order.” I won’t help you accomplish it either. The President said, “It is indeed a pleasure to see you in such disarray,” as supporters and federal lawmakers cheered from the APC platform.
When the APC’s leaders officially accept Diri’s resignation, the number of PDP governors in the South-East and South-South will drop to one—Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State—and eight worldwide.
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