Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Vice President Kashim Shettima led a high-powered APC delegation to Yenagoa for the governor’s formal reception into the party. Also in attendance were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno.
The venue was filled with jubilant party supporters waving flags and chanting in excitement as Diri was welcomed into the APC. The development marks a significant political shift in Bayelsa, a state long regarded as a PDP stronghold.
Diri’s defection comes against the backdrop of a growing wave of high-profile movements from the PDP to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
Announcing his decision at the Executive Council Chamber of the Bayelsa Government House, Diri said the move followed wide-ranging consultations.
“After extensive consultations, today, 15 October 2025, I wish to notify you that, in keeping with extant protocols, I, Governor Douye Diri, do hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he stated.
His decision was endorsed by 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Abraham Ngobere.
Ten lawmakers attended the briefing. The 24-member Assembly currently comprises 20 PDP legislators, three from the APC, and one from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Amid the ongoing defections, the PDP continues to grapple with internal leadership crises.
Thousands of APC supporters and Diri loyalists from the state’s eight local government areas turned out for the ceremony, dressed in white T-shirts and colourful outfits. Many others paraded through major streets of Yenagoa, singing and drumming in celebration.
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