The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expanded its ranks yesterday after formally receiving Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State into its fold, along with two senators, several House of Representatives members, and 22 out of the 24 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
Diri explained that his defection, weeks after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was not for personal gain but a strategic decision in the interest of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation. He said the move reflected the collective decision of Ijaw people across Delta, Edo, Ondo, Rivers, and other states who have chosen to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
With Diri’s switch, the APC now controls 25 states ahead of the 2027 elections, strengthening its majority across geopolitical zones and boosting its influence in the National Assembly beyond the two-thirds threshold.
Addressing a cheering crowd of more than 30,000 supporters at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, Diri said he had made every effort to rescue the PDP but that the party had been “hijacked by undertakers.” He noted that joining the APC was necessary to safeguard the political future of his followers in Bayelsa.
He added that President Tinubu’s demonstrated commitment to the development of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation — through projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, the Nembe-Brass road, and a N4 billion tax waiver for a 60-megawatt gas turbine — also influenced his decision.
“On October 15, I did something after consultation with elders and the State Assembly and afterwards resigned from the PDP for obvious reasons. This defection is not only for Bayelsa. It is for Ijaws in Ondo, Edo, Delta and Rivers. I will not denigrate my former party. We were happy with it until some undertakers destroyed it.
“We tried to salvage it, but to no avail. I never wanted my state to be buried with the PDP. What was going on became incumbent on me to make a decision and the majority of the state House of Assembly, including the Speaker, have come with me to the APC.”
The governor thanked the national leadership of the APC for the warm reception, stressing that he bears no grudge against those who chose to remain in the PDP and urging them to continue working for the state’s progress.
Receiving Diri, Vice President Kashim Shettima declared him the new leader of the APC in Bayelsa in line with party provisions.
“Your Excellency, each of us here has come to assure you that you are home. You will not be judged by where you are coming from but by where you are going. Your arrival is not the depletion of the opposition; it is the confirmation of the pulse and constitutional clarity of Africa’s largest democracy, the freedom of choice,” he said.
APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Progressive Governors’ Forum Chair, Hope Uzodimma; and business mogul Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, all commended Diri for his courage and political foresight.
The event also had in attendance Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Governors Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Ahmed Ododo (Kogi), and Monday Okpebolo (Edo), among others.
Meanwhile, supporters of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) led by Iliya Damagum have criticised the recent wave of defections, calling it destabilising and harmful to party cohesion. They condemned what they termed “dubious and predictable” court rulings that have deepened the PDP’s internal crisis.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Dr. Mike Omeri, on behalf of the group under the banner PDP Patriots, reaffirmed their backing for the Damagum-led NWC and insisted that it remains the party’s legitimate leadership.
He expressed disappointment in politicians who defected despite being elected on the PDP platform, describing their actions as a betrayal of public trust. “This action clearly betrays democracy and the aspirations of the people,” Omeri said.
He also cautioned defectors against attacking the PDP, insisting their exit was driven by personal ambition rather than genuine party issues.
However, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, launched a blistering critique of the PDP’s leadership, accusing top officials of corruption, impunity, and violation of the party’s constitution.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Wike described the party as being hijacked by “corrupt elements and political task collectors.”
“People want to destroy the PDP, but we will not allow them. Nobody owns this party. I will not join them in dragging it into the gutter,” he said.
Wike accused Acting National Chairman Iliya Damagum of lacking integrity and leading a deceitful administration.
He said the PDP had lost its moral compass and was being run in violation of its own rules. “I have always told them — obey the party’s constitution, obey the law. But no, they think money is everything. The PDP is collapsing because those in charge don’t respect agreements,” he added.
The minister warned that the party could face a constitutional crisis if its national convention slated for November 15–16 is not properly conducted.
Wike attributed the PDP’s troubles to entrenched impunity and personal greed among some leaders, singling out Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly exploiting the party for personal ambitions.
He argued that such behaviour has left the PDP “empty” and without direction.
He said, “Those who have left the party have never been committed members. Atiku has no choice but to go because he wanted to use the PDP to fuel his ambition, but knowing that I am there, he can’t get the platform. These are the people who destroyed the party. Remember the number of times that he had left and come back. The party is empty because of a lack of leadership. PDP, we cannot continue to allow impunity.”
