Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri is set to officially join the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, in what sources describe as one of the most significant political realignments in the South-South since 2023.
Multiple sources told TheCable that President Bola Tinubu, APC governors, and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) are expected to formally receive Diri into the ruling party at a ceremony scheduled for Abuja.
According to insiders familiar with the backroom negotiations, Diri—who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 15—has been holding discreet talks with top APC figures to finalise his defection plans.
“The delay in Diri’s formal defection was to ensure the seamless integration of the PDP bloc into the APC’s Bayelsa structure and to prevent internal friction ahead of the 2027 elections,” a senior party source said.
The governor’s move is viewed as part of the APC’s renewed strategy to strengthen its presence in the oil-rich Niger Delta, a region that has long been a stronghold of the PDP.
Political observers say Diri’s defection could reshape Bayelsa’s political landscape and alter power dynamics across the South-South zone as parties begin early positioning for the 2027 general elections.
