By Paul Ebi
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed deep disappointment over the resignation of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling the move “very embarrassing.”
Diri, who was chairing the PDP zoning committee ahead of the party’s elective national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, announced his resignation from the PDP on October 15.@Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, Wike said Diri’s decision came as a shock to many within the party, particularly because of his leadership roles in the upcoming convention.
> “It is very embarrassing. The governor was the chairman of the convention committee. Diri was the chairman of the zoning committee. Even though I knew from the beginning that they were all playing games,” Wike stated.
The former Rivers State governor noted that while Diri’s resignation was disappointing, it was not entirely surprising. He said he had long warned that the PDP would continue to lose key members if its leaders failed to address internal issues and ensure fairness in party affairs.
> “Have I not said that so many governors will leave? Is it the first time you’ve heard me say so? Nothing I said has not come to pass. From day one, I said if things are not done properly, PDP will continue to lose — and we will regret it,” he said.
When asked whether the spate of defections would benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike was cautious.
> “I don’t know whether the political tsunami is in favour of the APC. All I know is that there will be a political tsunami,” he replied.
Addressing speculations that his criticisms stem from resentment over losing the PDP’s 2022 presidential ticket to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Wike insisted that his stance is based on principle, not personal grievances.
> “Which house (PDP) do they say I want to pull down? The house that has died since?” he quipped.
Wike also accused some PDP governors of promoting impunity and disregarding due process, actions he said have contributed significantly to the party’s decline.
Diri’s resignation marks another major setback for the PDP, which has been struggling to maintain cohesion ahead of the national convention amid internal wrangling and high-profile defections.
