My move to APC is for Bayelsa’s growth, Ijaw unity — Diri
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has declared that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was motivated by his desire to align Bayelsa with a national leadership that prioritises development and unity among the Ijaw people.
Speaking at a grand rally at the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium in Yenagoa, where Vice President Kashim Shettima formally received him and other defectors, Diri said his decision was made after wide consultations with elders and members of the State House of Assembly.
“We tried to salvage the PDP, but to no avail. I never wanted my state to be buried with the PDP. My move to the APC is for Bayelsa’s growth and for Ijaw unity,” Diri said.
He explained that his decision was influenced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the development of Bayelsa and the Niger Delta, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, and a N4 billion tax waiver granted to the state for the procurement of a 60-megawatt gas turbine.
Diri, who resigned from the PDP on October 15, was joined by members of his Executive Council, state lawmakers, and two serving senators. However, his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and former governor, Seriake Dickson, chose to remain in the PDP.
Vice President Shettima, who represented President Tinubu, hailed Diri’s defection as a “homecoming” and a demonstration of conviction and courage. “You have chosen the light of national integration over the shadows of political isolation. This is not a ceremony of convenience but a celebration of conviction,” he said.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, presented Diri with the party’s flag and symbol of authority, describing him as the new leader of the APC in Bayelsa. “Take this flag as a symbol of strength and sweep all votes to the APC in 2027,” he charged.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma also praised Diri for taking what they called a progressive step, joining other governors such as Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, and Peter Mbah of Enugu, who had earlier defected to the ruling party.
