In a dramatic political shift, all eight Local Government Chairmen in Bayelsa State have formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pledged their full support to Governor Douye Diri, following his own exit from the party earlier this week.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Secretariat in Yenagoa. Speaking on behalf of the group, Lelei Tariye Isaac, Chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, cited the deepening internal crisis within the PDP as the primary reason for their departure. “We were elected on the platform of the PDP, and today, we are aware that our leader, Governor Douye Diri, has formally resigned his membership. We stand with him in solidarity,” Isaac stated.
Governor Diri had earlier declared his resignation from the PDP during an expanded State Executive Council meeting, citing “obvious reasons” without elaborating. His move was backed by 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, signaling a significant realignment in the state’s political landscape.
Political analysts view this mass defection as a potential turning point ahead of the 2026 general elections, with implications for party dominance and voter sentiment in the Niger Delta region.