YENAGOA: Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has formally announced his resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), marking a major political shake-up within the opposition camp.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at the Executive Council Chamber of the Bayelsa Government House in Yenagoa.
Governor Diri’s decision comes on the heels of a similar move by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) barely 24 hours earlier.
Confirming the development, rapidospace News correspondent in Bayelsa reported that the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ngobere, along with 22 members of the Assembly, also resigned from the PDP.
The wave of resignations, observers say, may further weaken the PDP’s structure across the South-South region.
The opposition party, which once boasted control of several oil-rich states, now reportedly retains only eight governors nationwide following recent defections to the APC.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, also confirmed the governor’s resignation in a statement shared on his verified social media handle, describing it as a strategic and deeply considered decision by the governor and his team.
Although Governor Diri has yet to announce his next political move, speculation is rife that discussions are ongoing between key Bayelsa stakeholders and national figures ahead of a possible alignment with the ruling party.
Governor Diri, who has been a key PDP figure since assuming office in 2020 after a landmark Supreme Court judgment, has in recent months expressed concern over what he described as internal contradictions and leadership challenges within the opposition party.
His resignation adds to growing anxiety within the PDP, which has struggled to stem the tide of defections by governors, lawmakers, and senior party members amid internal divisions and leadership wrangling.
Political analysts believe Diri’s exit could reshape the political dynamics in Bayelsa State, especially as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
As of press time, efforts to reach PDP’s national leadership for an official reaction were unsuccessful.
The development follows months of speculation about Governor Diri’s discomfort with the PDP’s national leadership and internal party disputes over the handling of national convention plans and alignment ahead of the next election cycle.
