Governor Douye Diri Formally Joins APC, Pledges Support for President Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election
By Passman Akpos
In a major political realignment, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has officially announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a historic shift in the state’s political landscape.
Speaking at a grand reception ceremony held in Yenagoa, Governor Diri declared that his decision followed “wide consultations and careful consideration,” adding that it was driven by a commitment to advance governance and accelerate development in Bayelsa State.
> “Today, after wide consultations and careful consideration, we have formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) to advance governance in Bayelsa State. This political alignment with the centre is a strategic and collaborative decision taken in the best interests of our people,” the governor stated.
Governor Diri expressed deep appreciation to Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, who led a powerful delegation of APC leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the party’s National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and several governors, to formally receive him and his team into the APC fold.
He also extended gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and “accommodation,” particularly acknowledging the award of the second phase of the historic Nembe-Brass Road project and other federal interventions in the state.
> “I am convinced that Mr. President’s economic and fiscal policies will positively re-engineer this country for greatness,” Diri said, pledging to work constructively with the federal government for the overall development of Bayelsa State.
The governor further declared his commitment to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, emphasizing the need for unity and collaboration over partisan division.
> “For us in Bayelsa State, we are too small and close-knit to be divided by partisan bitterness,” he noted. “I have pledged to be a unifying factor among key stakeholders and to ensure that this new political chapter brings peace and progress to our state.”
Governor Diri’s defection comes days after key political figures in the state, including Senators Konbowei Friday Benson and Benson Agadaga, as well as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, also joined the APC, signaling a sweeping realignment in Bayelsa’s political terrain.
Political observers say Diri’s move could significantly reshape the power dynamics in the Niger Delta region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
