Political tension has continued to mount in Bayelsa State following reports that Governor Douye Diri’s planned defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been delayed due to internal power struggles among key APC leaders in the state.
According to PUNCH, the disagreement between former Governor Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, over control of the APC structure in Bayelsa has slowed down the governor’s planned move to the party.
Sources within the APC told PUNCH that while discussions with Diri have reached an advanced stage, final arrangements for his reception in Yenagoa are being delayed to resolve leadership issues among top stakeholders.
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A senior APC official told The PUNCH that the governor’s defection could be formalised as early as next week once internal negotiations are concluded.
“Diri’s coming is not in doubt. The party is only working to ensure a united structure before his formal entry,” the source said.
Deputy Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, confirmed that the party remains open to welcoming Diri, noting that the APC is “a large family that does not segregate.”
“It is for him to decide. The APC is open to all Nigerians who believe in our vision, manifesto, and leadership. Internal reconciliation is a normal process in politics,” Duru added.
However, APC Vice Chairman for the South-East, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, disclosed that Diri’s defection was already concluded but was being delayed by challenges involving his deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and former President Goodluck Jonathan’s political camp.
“Yes, I know Diri is coming to APC, but the issues with his deputy and the Jonathan camp have made him delay the public announcement. Everything is almost settled,” Arodiogbu said.
The development has unsettled Bayelsa’s political landscape, with the PDP accusing Governor Diri of betrayal. A former National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mark Jacob, called on the governor to vacate office, arguing that his resignation from the PDP without joining another party renders his mandate invalid.
“Without the PDP, Governor Diri would not have contested the election. The people of Bayelsa voted for the PDP, not an individual,” Jacob said, warning against what he described as the “erosion of party discipline” in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, insiders within the Bayelsa APC disclosed that discussions are ongoing to dissolve the current state executive and replace it with a caretaker committee to accommodate Diri’s expected emergence as the party leader in the state.