Yesterday, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state made a triumphant entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His switch marked the fourth governor this year to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the ruling party.
Those who defected before him are: Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.
The Bayelsa State governor along with his Executive Council members, state lawmakers and other leaders were welcomed into the ruling party before a huge crowd at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.
Vice President Kashim Shettima led the high-profile reception party.
Diri said he tried his best to rescue the PDP but failed because the party had been taken over by those he described as “undertakers”.
He then stated the clincher: “We tried to salvage it (PDP), but to no avail. I never wanted my state to be buried with the PDP”.
Bayelsa, like Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Enugu were states governed by the PDP since 1999 before the governors defected with all the party structures.
Giving other reasons he moved to the ruling party, Diri said he was motivated by the need to align Bayelsa with a national leadership that values development.
He said he was influenced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s love for the growth of the state and the Ijaw nation.
