Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, Speaker, and Entire EXCO Resign from PDP

In a major political development that has sent ripples through the nation’s political space, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor announced his resignation on Wednesday during a session held at the Executive Council Chamber of the Bayelsa Government House in Yenagoa. Diri, however, did not disclose the political party he intends to join next.

The decision was followed by a wave of resignations, as 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, as well as all members of the State Executive Council, also tendered their resignation from the PDP.

Confirming the development, Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, wrote on his official Facebook page that the governor, alongside the Speaker and PDP lawmakers in the state, had submitted their letters of resignation to the party leadership.

> “Today, I have formally resigned my membership from the PDP for very obvious reasons,” Governor Diri was quoted as saying.

Sources within Government House indicated that the decision followed a series of consultations with political stakeholders in the state. However, details of his next political move remain unclear.

The latest development comes just 24 hours after the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, also resigned from the PDP and is reportedly set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Diri, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 and later as Senator for Bayelsa Central in 2019, became the Governor of Bayelsa State in 2020 and was re-elected in 2023 under the PDP platform.

His resignation marks a significant setback for the PDP in the South-South, a region that has long been considered the party’s stronghold. Political observers believe Diri’s exit could trigger further realignments within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.