Okonkwo Urges INEC to Sack Diri Over PDP Exit

Nollywood actor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the Bayelsa State Governorship seat vacant following Governor Douye Diri’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Patriotic Insights News reported that Diri, alongside members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, announced his resignation from the PDP on Wednesday, sparking widespread speculation that he may join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor, however, did not disclose specific grievances against the party, describing his resignation as due to “obvious reasons.”

According to a statement by Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor made the announcement during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa. Present at the meeting were the Speaker of the House, Abraham Ingobere, his deputy, Michael Ogbere, the All Progressives Grand Alliance minority leader, Edward Brigidi, and seven other lawmakers.

Diri, the statement added, resigned after extensive consultations with state leaders and thanked his supporters for standing by his administration. However, the resignation of his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who was absent at the meeting, was not addressed.

On Instagram, Okonkwo argued that Diri’s resignation automatically disqualified him from holding office, citing Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which requires that a governor must be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party to hold office.

He wrote: “Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has just vacated his seat as governor by resigning from the PDP and not belonging to any party. An elected member of government can only defect from one party to another but cannot be partyless at any point in time. I therefore call on INEC to declare his seat vacant immediately and conduct a gubernatorial election within 90 days.”

The development has added fresh tension to Bayelsa politics, with stakeholders awaiting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s response.