Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, on Monday officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a grand ceremony held at the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium, Yenagoa.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event, described Diri’s defection as a “homecoming and political reunion with a progressive mind,” commending the Governor for choosing “the light of national integration over the shadows of political isolation.”
“This is not a ceremony of convenience but a celebration of conviction,” Shettima said, adding that Diri’s decision reflects the people’s desire for unity and national development.
Shettima praised the Bayelsa Governor’s leadership, describing him as “a builder of peace, trust, and progress,” and assured that the APC would fully support his administration in advancing good governance.
The Vice President further stated that Governor Diri’s move was “not the depletion of the opposition but the confirmation of Nigeria’s democratic freedom of choice.”
Also speaking, Senate President Godswill Akpabio hailed the Governor’s decision as “a defining moment for the Ijaw nation and the South-South region,” while APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, welcomed Diri and his supporters, assuring them of full inclusion in the party structure.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, commended Diri’s decision as “a courageous and timely step,” adding that Nigerians are beginning to rally under a unified purpose for national progress.
In his remarks, Governor Diri said his decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders across Bayelsa, citing internal crises within the PDP and his desire to align with national development priorities as reasons for the move.
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He dismissed speculation about losing his office, affirming that “the Speaker and the majority of the State Assembly members are with me.”
Diri also lauded President Tinubu for reviving the long-demanded Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road project, describing it as a major step toward Niger Delta inclusion and development.
The event climaxed with the presentation of the APC flag to Governor Diri by the party’s National Chairman, signifying his formal entry into the ruling party.
