By Charles Pemu 
YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE — Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, is reportedly on the cusp of formalizing his move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that has sent ripples of instability through the state’s political landscape.
Although Diri resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) barely a week ago, top APC chieftains have confirmed that negotiations are “well advanced,” hinting that the defection could be formalized as early as next week in Yenagoa.
However, the transition is reportedly being complicated by two main internal hurdles. The first is ongoing negotiations among prominent Bayelsa APC leaders, including former Governor Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri, concerning the control of the party structure, which Diri’s arrival is expected to challenge. The second, as disclosed by APC Vice Chairman for the South-East, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, stems from reluctance within Diri’s camp, specifically his deputy governor and the political bloc of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Arodiogbu stated that Diri’s defection plan is “conclusive” but has been delayed because his deputy governor is reportedly unwilling to move with him. Despite these challenges, the APC national leadership remains outwardly welcoming. Deputy Organising Secretary Nze Chidi Duru stressed that the APC is a “large family” open to any Nigerian who believes in its vision and leadership, dismissing concerns that Sylva and Lokpobiri might frustrate the move. Duru affirmed that internal consensus-building is a natural part of politics and that disagreements would yield to the party’s collective interest.
The political shift has intensified tensions across the state. The PDP insists that Diri’s exit is a betrayal of the mandate on which he was elected. Adding to the pressure, Mark Jacob, a former National Legal Adviser for the PDP, called on Governor Diri to vacate his office. Jacob argued that Diri’s resignation from the party without immediately joining another renders his governorship “constitutionally void,” lamenting the “erosion of party discipline” due to the judiciary’s failure to enforce anti-defection laws.
For now, all attention is focused on Yenagoa, where the final resolution of the internal negotiations will determine the timing of the Governor’s political gamble and whether it ushers in a new alliance or triggers a fresh round of turbulence in Bayelsa politics.