BREAKING: Governor Diri resigns from PDP, 18 Bayelsa lawmakers follow suit

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, marking another major setback for the opposition party.

Governor Diri made the announcement on Wednesday during a meeting with members of the State Executive Council held at the Government House in Yenagoa.

The Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ngobere, alongside 18 PDP lawmakers, also tendered their letters of resignation from the party.

Diri’s resignation comes barely 24 hours after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, heightening speculation that the Bayelsa leader may be heading in the same direction.

Although Governor Diri has yet to officially disclose his next political move, sources close to the Government House indicate that consultations are ongoing ahead of a possible declaration in the coming days.

The development also weakens the PDP’s control across states, as the party has now lost four governors to the APC this year alone, reducing its number of serving governors to eight nationwide.

Confirming the governor’s resignation, his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, posted on his verified social media handle that the decision was made “after wide consultations and in the best interest of Bayelsa State.”