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Bayelsa Governor Diri dumps PDP as party crisis deepens

Mr Diri said he resigned alongside other key members of his cabinet, including Speaker Abraham Ngobere, his deputy, and party supporters.

• October 15, 2025
Douye Diri
Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri (Photo Credit: Twitter)

Barely 24 hours after Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, his Bayelsa counterpart, Governor Douye Diri, also announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr Diri made the announcement during a meeting with members of the State Executive Council at the government house in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

“Today, I have formally resigned my membership from PDP for very obvious reasons,” Mr Diri declared, without stating which party he would be joining.

The governor said he resigned alongside other key members of his cabinet, including Speaker Abraham Ngobere, his deputy, and party supporters. 

“I am not going alone. As you can see, I am here with my speaker, his deputy, and all members of our party who are going with me. There are some who are not here because they are on official assignments,” he added.

Mr Diri expressed gratitude to friends and supporters who have stood by his administration, adding he is committed to “building a strong and viral Bayelsa state and country by extension.”

The governor’s defection from the PDP adds to the growing list of aggrieved stakeholders who had exited the party over its unresolved crisis. Mr Mbah and most of his political aides joined the APC on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the party announced the postponement of its 103rd National Executive Committee meeting, earlier scheduled for Wednesday, due to recent developments within the party.

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