Support Tinubu in 2027 or Lose Party Backing, Bayelsa PDP Chair Warns Gov Diri
Tension is brewing within the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its Chairman has issued a direct warning to Governor Douye Diri, insisting that the governor must support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections or risk losing the backing of the party at the state level.
In a surprising turn, the PDP Chairman declared that if Governor Diri refuses to align with Tinubu’s administration, party stakeholders in Bayelsa would have no choice but to shift their support directly to the President. The statement highlights growing internal divisions within the PDP as the 2027 political landscape begins to take shape.
This development follows recent claims by Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Bayelsa and a former PDP member, who alleged that Governor Diri has been engaging in a secret political alliance with the APC-led federal government.
Eradiri alleged that Diri was planning to hand over Bayelsa to the APC in the next election cycle, citing ongoing collaborations on federal projects as evidence.
Responding to these allegations, Governor Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, dismissed the accusations as “unfounded and politically motivated.”
Alabrah reiterated that Governor Diri remains firmly loyal to the PDP and is focused on delivering good governance to the people of Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, several APC leaders in the state have voiced their opposition to any possibility of Diri defecting to their party. They warned President Tinubu against entertaining such a move, describing Diri as lacking “electoral value” and expressing doubts about his political loyalty.
The warning from the Bayelsa PDP chairman is seen by political observers as an early indication of the fierce realignments expected ahead of the 2027 elections.
As pressure mounts on Governor Diri to clarify his political allegiance, the PDP’s internal unity in Bayelsa remains under serious threat.
