Speculation over the potential defection of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is gaining momentum, as a powerful political group led by one of his media aides has urged him to make the switch.
Wisdom Ikuli, Technical Adviser on Media to Governor Diri and Convener of the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum (CBSF), openly called on the governor to align with the ruling party, describing the move as “sacrosanct and inevitable.”
Speaking at a press briefing in Yenagoa on Tuesday, Ikuli said aligning with the “government at the centre” was crucial to the state's development and political survival, especially given the abandonment of key federal projects like the Agge Seaport, which he believes would transform Bayelsa’s economy and create jobs.
“Our founding fathers, High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief Melford Okilo, taught us to always align with the centre. That wisdom brought us a Vice President and later a President in Goodluck Jonathan. Today, we are politically isolated,” Ikuli said.
Bayelsa is the only PDP-controlled state left in the South-South. Ikuli warned that remaining in PDP could leave the state vulnerable in 2027, alleging a plot to sabotage the party’s candidates through orchestrated legal crises.
“There are dangerous traps set within the PDP to nullify nominations under the guise of internal crisis and court cases. If Bayelsa stays in PDP, we risk being thrown into chaos and confusion,” he said.
Ikuli also dismissed the recently formed opposition coalition, which includes figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, describing it as a group of “conspirators who denied the Ijaw Nation a second presidential term in 2015.”
He argued that the APC now represents the best path forward for Bayelsa, especially under President Bola Tinubu, whom he credited with fostering Southern political strength and unity.
“The APC-led Federal Government is working to strengthen the South. Bayelsa cannot afford to be isolated. The time to align is now,” he declared.
Ikuli further announced plans to mobilize daily rallies across Yenagoa in the coming days to press the governor to defect, urging him to ignore political loyalists fighting to “protect their own ambitions.”
“Governor Diri has done well in terms of development, and the people are with him. What remains is for him to take the bold step in the interest of Bayelsa and the entire Ijaw Nation,” Ikuli said.
The statement has deepened the political intrigue in the state, with neither the governor nor his official spokesperson issuing a response as of press time.
