Defection Storm Rocks PDP as Bayelsa Governor, Diri Poised to Join APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), once Nigeria’s dominant political force, is reportedly facing its most severe internal crisis since its formation, with reports emerging that Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, is on the verge of defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Diri’s impending cross-carpeting is part of a larger political tsunami that has already seen the opposition party hemorrhaging its top-tier members, particularly its state governors, in a move that significantly strengthens President Bola Tinubu’s APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governor Diri’s departure would leave Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State as the sole PDP state chief executive in the entire South-South geopolitical zone, a region that was historically considered the bedrock of the PDP.
This leaves the party with a nearly negligible presence at the sub-national level in a crucial oil-rich zone.
Compounding Fubara’s isolated position, the political landscape in Rivers State itself is heavily skewed, with a majority of the local government chairmen—reportedly 20 out of 23—already aligned with the APC structure.
The South-South, along with the South-East which also retains only one PDP Governor, was a key area of strength for the PDP until the recent spate of defections began.
The reported defection of Governor Diri, coupled with the alleged plans of three other PDP governors from different geopolitical zones to perfect their exit, signals a near-total collapse of the party’s governing structure.
The PDP, which once boasted control over 23 of the nation’s 36 states, is now projected to be left with a paltry nine governors.
The party’s current woes are a continuation of a pattern of internal strife and high-profile abandonment.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the first to achieve the presidency on the PDP platform, famously tore up his membership card upon his exit, although he never formally joined another party.
His former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has also consistently defected and rejoined the party driven by his perennial presidential ambition. His political restlessness has seen him move to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and later the APC.
Current intelligence indicates he is now aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling a final search for a viable platform for his continued pursuit of the presidency. Former Senate President David Mark has also reportedly joined the ADC, along with other key figures like former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who left the party long ago.
The ongoing wave of defections, particularly among sitting governors, is being described by analysts as the worst blow to the PDP since its inception in 1998.
