Lokpobiri, Wike, others okay Diri’s exit from PDP •  President Tinubu is a leader driven by results – Murray-Bruce

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was hit in its underbelly again yesterday with the resignation of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri from its fold, https://thenationonlineng.net reported.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, at a well-attended event with Vice President Kashim Shettima in attendance, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Diri, who served as chairman of the PDP’s zoning committee ahead of next month’s convention until yesterday, announced that he had resigned his membership of the PDP forthwith.

Although he did not state which party he is joining, sources said he is heading for the APC.

He said: “After extensive consultation, today, the 15th day of October 2025, I wish to formally notify you that in keeping with the extant protocols, I, Governor Douye Diri, do hereby resign my membership of the PDP.

“I am not resigning alone, as you can see. I am here with Mr Speaker, Deputy Speaker and all the members of our party (in the Assembly) who are with me on this.

“So, I have formally resigned from the PDP for very obvious reasons.”

Apart from the House of Assembly members, those of the state executive council have also resigned from the PDP.

But Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was not with the governor when he announced he was leaving the party.

It was learnt that he had not made up his mind on whether to follow the governor out of the party that brought them into power.

Diri’s action got the backing of Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who urged him to complete the process by joining the APC without hesitation.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike also endorsed Diri’s exit from the PDP.

Also yesterday, Sen. Ben Murray Bruce, who represented Bayelsa East, defected from the PDP to the APC.

Apart from Lokpobiri, other APC leaders in Bayelsa, such as former Governor-elect Mr. David Lyon, former Deputy Governor-elect Senator Degi Eremienyo, Osomkime Blankson and Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, welcomed the governor’s resignation.

Lokpobiri advises Diri to join APC

Lokpobiri, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor, praised Diri for “jumping out of the sinking ship” in the interest of the state.

He described his decision as “a bold, patriotic, and strategic step toward Bayelsa’s greater integration with federal development efforts.”

He urged the governor to formally join the APC to “ensure full alignment of the state with the Federal Government and to tap into the transformative policies and developmental opportunities under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”

Wike lauds Tinubu’s pull factor

Wike said he has been vindicated by the defections to the APC.

He said the governors should commend the President for “doing a good job” of paving the way for them to join the ruling party.

Wike added:“I have been watching on daily television and social media, people who said I want to destabilise the party, I am working for the APC. All of them are now in the APC.

“So, which means if it is true, they should commend me for working for where they are heading. So, I should be commended for doing a good job for them.”

The minister said under the Tinubu Administration, there is no excuse for poor performance because every state has enough resources to pay salaries and embark on credible projects.

Wike said: “Let every state be sincere to their people, and to Nigerians. I was a governor for eight years. I was a governor running around banks to look for money to do projects.

“Sometimes, every month, the money that comes will not be enough to pay salaries and all other allowances, not to mention doing projects.

“Today, by the leadership of somebody, by the decisive leadership of somebody who has made it possible for all the states, and the Federal Capital Territory, not to be running around banks again, banks are now looking for states to say: ‘Look, don’t throw us away, we are here.

“Somebody has made that possible; every state now has money, not only to pay salaries, not only to carry out government activities, but also to embark on projects. It was not like that before.”

Wike described the decisions to defect and support the Tinubu-led administration as “worthwhile”, adding that no governor will leave debts for their successors any longer, as it used to be.

He said, “So, if, for that reason, so many people are going to support Mr President, I think it is worthwhile.

“Now, no governor will talk about leaving debts for his successor, unlike what used to happen. That is the leadership of somebody.

“And that’s what this country needs for now. Visionary leadership, purposeful leadership, that will be able to make decisions. Decisions that people were running away from taking when they had the opportunity.”

Murray-Bruce explains defection.

Murray-Bruce declared support for President Tinubu’s economic and governance reforms.

In a statement yesterday, he said his decision to join APC was driven by conviction, not politics, describing Tinubu as a leader “driven by results, not applause.”

“I have known President Tinubu since 1998. He is courageous, focused, and committed to results. Today, I can boldly say he is on the right track,” he said.

The former lawmaker praised the administration’s economic policies, noting that the President “understands finance” and is “laying the foundation for tomorrow’s prosperity” through deregulation and market-orientated reforms.

He lauded improvements in national security, monetary policy, and infrastructure, saying, “The Central Bank is stabilising the economy, the fuel sector is deregulated, and roads, ports, and housing projects are springing up nationwide.”

Acknowledging current hardship, Murray-Bruce urged Nigerians to remain patient, describing reform as “never painless but necessary for rebirth.”

“I am joining the APC not for politics, but for progress,” he said. “I believe Tinubu’s leadership will deliver the Nigeria we dream of. I choose to stand with reform and the future.”

Shehu Sani backs defection.

Senator Shehu Sani, in a post on his X handle @ShehuSani, stated, “Why should a man in LP be angry with a man from PDP who moved to APC when you knew that most of the people in LP were people who voluntarily migrated from PDP or were forced to leave the PDP?

“You left Africa for Syria, and they left Africa for Spain. You are in Syria with Abure, and you are angry that they left for Spain. You saw the vision and left, and they trailed your footsteps. The defectors only divorced the wife you once divorced.