Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has stated that he will not compel his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to join him in the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he formally joined on November 3, 2025.
Governor Diri, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 15 citing “obvious reasons” for his decision, made the clarification during the weekly State Executive Council meeting held at Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by his deputy.
The Bayelsa governor said he believes in dialogue and engagement rather than coercion, adding that he would continue to hold discussions with his deputy.
> “It is actually difficult for the governor to be on one side and the deputy on another,” Diri admitted. “But we will continue to talk, and we might end up in the same party tomorrow.”
He confirmed that the court case earlier filed by Senator Ewhrudjakpo at the Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop an alleged impeachment plot had been withdrawn following their mutual discussions.
Governor Diri urged Bayelsans to see politics as a platform for development and unity rather than division and hostility.
>m“I express our gratitude to the people of our state for the successful thanksgiving service and the mammoth crowd at the sports complex during our defection. I appreciate our party leader, President Bola Tinubu, and Vice President Kashim Shettima. I pledge our loyalty to the APC and to the collective goal of building a better Nigeria,” he said.
“Let me address an issue that has been the subject of speculation. I do not intend to force anyone to join the APC. I might have the power today