BREAKING: Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri Dumps PDP, Set to Join APC With 23 Lawmakers in Major Political Earthquake

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In a stunning political development, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has officially resigned from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), alongside 23 members of the State House of Assembly, in what analysts describe as a major shake-up in the South-South political landscape.

The governor’s defection, confirmed on Tuesday, marks a dramatic turn in Bayelsa politics, where the PDP has long maintained dominance. Sources close to Government House, Yenagoa, revealed that Governor Diri and his loyalists are set to join the All-Progressives Congress (APC) — a move seen as a strategic alignment ahead of future political contests.

Reports from multiple media outlets, including Channels TV and Daily Post, indicate that Diri’s resignation was unanimously supported by 23 lawmakers who also renounced their membership in the PDP, pledging allegiance to the APC.

Political observers say Diri’s move deals a significant blow to the PDP’s influence in the South-South region, which has been a stronghold of the party since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.

While formal confirmation of his APC membership is still pending, sources within the ruling party hinted that arrangements are underway to officially welcome Governor Diri and his team at a grand rally expected to take place in Yenagoa.

As reactions continue to trail the development, some PDP chieftains in the state have described the governor’s defection as “unexpected but politically motivated,” while APC stakeholders hailed it as “a bold and strategic decision.”

Governor Diri, who has served as Bayelsa’s chief executive since 2020, is yet to release an official statement detailing the reasons behind his decision, but insiders suggest growing internal divisions within the PDP may have contributed to the move.

With this latest defection, political analysts say the 2027 general elections could witness a massive realignment of forces in the South-South, particularly as more PDP heavyweights reconsider their loyalty ahead of the next election cycle.