Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), marking a major political shift in the state’s leadership.
Diri made the announcement on Wednesday during a meeting at the Executive Council Chamber of the Government House in Yenagoa. However, he did not disclose the political party he intends to join next.
The governor’s decision received immediate backing from 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Abraham Ingobere.
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According to a statement posted on Facebook by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri’s resignation was accompanied by that of the Speaker and all PDP lawmakers in the state legislature. The post also confirmed that the governor had formally submitted his resignation letter to the party.
In addition, all members of the Bayelsa State Executive Council reportedly stepped down alongside the governor, signaling a sweeping exit from the PDP by top government officials.
This development comes barely 24 hours after Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah also left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC), further deepening speculation of a broader realignment within the nation’s political landscape.
Diri, who began his political journey under the PDP, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 and later served as Senator for Bayelsa Central in 2019. He became Bayelsa governor in 2020 following a Supreme Court verdict and secured re-election in 2023 under the PDP platform.
