Defection of Gov. Diri to APC Is Sacrosanct — Aide Declares

The Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Print Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, has declared that Governor Douye Diri’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is non-negotiable and sacrosanct. Addressing a world press conference in Yenagoa on Tuesday, Ikuli, who also convenes the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders, appealed to political stakeholders across the state to support the governor’s move.

He emphasized that Bayelsa must align with the APC, the ruling party at the federal level, to secure meaningful development. Ikuli criticized the current state of the PDP, alleging that many of its remaining members were involved in sabotaging Bayelsa and the wider Ijaw Nation’s bid for a second term in the Presidency in 2015. He also warned that there are ongoing plans within the PDP to use internal crises and legal challenges to invalidate the candidacies of party flagbearers in future elections.

Bayelsa, currently the only PDP-controlled state in the South-South region, is increasingly vulnerable due to what Ikuli described as the hijack of the PDP by a few individuals determined to undermine the state’s political prospects in 2027. He announced that his group would soon begin daily rallies in Yenagoa to press Governor Diri to formally declare for the APC.

Quoting Ijaw leaders of the past, including High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Chief (Sen.) Dr. Melford Okilo, Ikuli reiterated their call for alignment with the government at the centre, arguing that such a strategy is essential given the region’s distance from federal power and its challenging terrain. He said this approach yielded positive results in the past, citing the rise of Goodluck Jonathan from Vice President to President as a product of such alignment.

According to Ikuli, the political and economic marginalization of the Ijaw Nation stems directly from its current lack of representation at the federal level. “Today, Bayelsans and Ijaws are not among the first 40 officeholders in key positions such as the Presidency, Vice Presidency, or Service Chiefs,” he lamented.

He also pointed to the federal appointments of Ijaw sons and daughters by President Bola Tinubu as evidence of goodwill from the APC. These include Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Chief Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of the NDDC, Chief Ebitimi Amgbare as MD of NDDBA, and Hon. Preye Aganaba as Executive Director of Human Resources of the South South Development Commission.

Ikuli praised the President for approving the Federal Government’s takeover of the Second Phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, calling it a critical infrastructure project that connects Bayelsa’s wealth-generating coastline. He also called for renewed focus on the realization of the Agge Seaport, which he described as a vital project capable of transforming the state’s economy and securing long-term prosperity.

Ikuli concluded by urging Governor Diri to make a historic move to the APC, aligning with other Southern Governors in support of President Tinubu and what he described as a broader Southern solidarity agenda.