Our Reporter, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday formally received Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, into the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking the completion of the governor’s defection to the ruling party by instalments.
Diri, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over two weeks ago, was officially welcomed into the APC at a ceremony held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The development is seen as a significant political gain for the APC and a setback for the opposition PDP.
Addressing supporters at the event, Diri described his move as a collective decision by the Ijaw political leadership.
“This defection is not a Bayelsa defection; it is the Ijaw nation defecting to the APC,” the governor declared to loud applause.
Explaining the reasons behind his decision, Diri accused some elements within the PDP of working to destroy the party from within. He said he could not stand by and allow Bayelsa State to “be buried along with the PDP.”
The governor added that his defection was also aimed at protecting his political allies, particularly members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, from the ongoing crisis within the PDP.
With Diri’s exit, the PDP’s control has now been reduced to just eight states across the federation.
