Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Investigations revealed that Diri’s defection, which had been anticipated for months, is finally expected to happen on October 14.
Sources close to the governor indicated that he had carried out his plans discreetly due to animosity within the leadership of the APC in the state, particularly from the faction loyal to Chief Timipre Sylva.
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The primary reason for Diri’s exit was linked to the “intractable crisis rocking the [PDP] party,” which sources said made it no longer attractive to the governor and majority of his political associates to pursue their political ambitions in 2027.
Diri was said to have consulted widely with some Bayelsa State elders, and sources claim that out of courtesy and respect, he had informed former President Goodluck Jonathan of his decision to leave the party.
The Governor has reportedly received the backing of the majority of the members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for the defection.
Many lawmakers, who have ambition to return or move up, encouraged the governor to dump the PDP before their candidacy would face legal challenge and disqualification because of the PDP crisis.
He dropped the hint of his defection to the eight local government chairmen and members of the State Executive Council.
A top lawmaker and associate confirmed the commitment to the move:“There is no going back on the governor crossing to the APC. We have passed the stage of consultation… Senator Konbowei Benson is going with the governor. The defection may be next week,”
However, Diri’s defection plan was rejected by the majority of the National Assembly members from the state, who felt “there was no compelling reason for them to defect to the APC.”
Investigations revealed that the following members are not going to defect with the governor:
- Two Senators: Former Governor and Senator Henry Seriake Dickson and Benson Agadaga.
- Three House of Representatives members out of five: Fred Agbedi, Maria Ebikake, and Mietama Obordor.
Meanwhile, the PDP leadership in the state is polarised over the decision.
Some leading members expressed misgivings, blaming “some young Turks around the governor, desperate to reconfigure the power balance in the state,” for pressuring him to defect. One top party member stated:“Some of the people who were not anywhere when we fought to bring the governor in 2019 and 2023 are the people he is listening to. They are not popular, and they want to contest the election to take power by force. They believe that by joining the APC, they will use federal might to win the election,”
Sources noted that former Governor Senator Dickson was not consulted on the defection because Diri knew he would shoot down the idea.
Those opposed to the move are reportedly likely to persuade Dickson to be the leading light of the opposition if Bayelsa becomes an APC state under Diri.
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