Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). The political shift was confirmed by Arise TV on Tuesday, marking yet another major defection from the opposition to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reports indicate that Diri did not make the move alone, as 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly also defected to the APC. The decision reportedly followed several closed-door meetings between key political figures in Abuja and Yenagoa.

The development comes just a day after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also joined the APC, signaling what analysts describe as a growing trend of defections by governors from PDP strongholds to the ruling party. Political observers believe the move is part of a broader realignment strategy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to consolidate power in the South-South region.

Although official details of Diri’s defection ceremony are yet to be announced, sources revealed that the formal declaration could take place in Bayelsa’s capital within the week. The governor’s decision is expected to reshape the political landscape in the state, which has long been a PDP stronghold since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.

Diri’s defection further weakens the PDP’s presence in the South-South and strengthens the APC’s growing dominance in the region. Political watchers say this could have significant implications for the 2027 elections, as the ruling party continues to expand its influence across southern Nigeria.