Minister of Aviation and Space Development, Festus Keyamo, has applauded the defection of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a major political breakthrough for the party in the South-South region.
Reacting on Monday to a welcome message from APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, Keyamo said Diri’s defection marks a turning point for the party, positioning it for greater political strength ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Finally, the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle in the South-South has moved into place! Officially, five of the six states of the South-South are now in APC, whilst the sixth has a leader and Minister in active, open support of Mr President,” Keyamo wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He added: “From a position of absolute weakness in 2015, 2019, and 2023 to a position of absolute advantage and strength ahead of 2027! Welcome home, Governor Douye Diri!”
APC National Chairman Yilwatda also expressed excitement over Diri’s decision, writing on X, “The Broom Revolution. Welcome to our family and party, Governor Douye Diri.”
Governor Diri had resigned from the PDP on 15 October, citing “obvious reasons” without giving specific details. His announcement ended weeks of speculation about his growing political distance from the opposition party’s national leadership.
Speaking on Sunday at the 14th Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day celebration held at the Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Diri said his decision to join the APC was guided by the overall interest of the state rather than personal ambition.
“Someone had to make the move, and I did so on behalf of Bayelsans,” the governor stated. “Although some people might not immediately understand my decision to join the ruling party, time will reveal that it was driven by altruistic motives.”
Diri’s defection marks a significant political shift in the South-South, a region that had long been considered a PDP stronghold. With his entry into the APC, the ruling party now controls five of the six states in the zone — including Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Bayelsa — while Delta remains the only state under PDP leadership.
Political observers see the governor’s defection as a calculated move that could reshape the region’s political balance ahead of the 2027 elections. Keyamo’s comments further underscore the APC’s growing confidence in its ability to consolidate power in an area once dominated by the opposition.
