Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The announcement was made on Wednesday during a meeting at the Executive Council Chamber of the Bayelsa State Government House.

While Governor Diri did not reveal his next political destination, reports indicate that he is likely to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming days. His decision reportedly has the support of 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, including the Speaker.

The development comes barely a day after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also defected from the PDP to the APC, signalling a possible wave of high-profile defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reacting to the news, Udengs Eradiri, a former President of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide and a prominent APC chieftain in Bayelsa, welcomed Diri’s anticipated move. He urged the governor to leverage his influence to unite warring factions within the APC, particularly those aligned with former Governor Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri.

Eradiri cautioned against any attempt to sideline Sylva, describing such moves as counterproductive. “Former Governor Sylva has made immense contributions to building the APC. Many of those criticising him today were absent during the party’s formative struggles. You cannot simply push him aside,” he stated, urging Diri to use his peaceful disposition to reconcile internal divisions and strengthen party unity.