I Won’t Force My Deputy To Join APC, Says Gov. Diri — A Closer Look
I Won’t Force My Deputy To Join APC, Says Gov. Diri — A Closer Look
By Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Global Egberi Media International
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has chosen conciliation over coercion in the heated wake of his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a calm but pointed address during Wednesday’s State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa — a meeting attended by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo — the governor made clear that he will not compel his deputy to follow him into the APC. Instead, Diri described a deliberate strategy of engagement, dialogue and measured persuasion.
This development is important for Bayelsa politics: it signals an attempt to manage intra-administration tensions without public acrimony. It is also a tactical move—one that balances the political realities of defection with the practical need to preserve governance stability in a resource-sensitive state.
Engagement, Not Confrontation
Governor Diri framed his approach as a matter of principle. He said he will continue to dialogue with Senator Ewhrudjakpo, acknowledging the awkwardness of having the governor and deputy in different political parties but insisting that “we will continue to talk and we might end up in the same party tomorrow.”
The governor’s restraint is underscored by a concrete conciliatory gesture: a legal case filed by the deputy at the Federal High Court in Abuja — reportedly to halt an alleged impeachment plot — has been discontinued after their discussions. That move speaks to the practical dividends of private engagement over public posturing.
Diri’s public message was multilayered: he thanked Bayelsans for their support at his thanksgiving and defection events, pledged loyalty to APC national leaders, and urged citizens to see politics as a vehicle for development rather than a tool for mutual destruction. In short, he sought to normalise the defection while dampening the temperature of partisan rhetoric in the state.
On Security: Calm and Reassurance
The governor also addressed a swirling rumour about the arrival of armed men in the state — a claim he dismissed as fake news. Yet he was not complacent: security agencies, he said, have been put on alert to check any threat. Diri reaffirmed Bayelsa’s status among the more secure states in the federation and urged citizens to report genuine security concerns to authorities rather than amplifying panic through social media.
The combination of denial and proactive policing is a predictable and prudent posture: deny alarmist narratives, but maintain readiness. For a state with complex riverine topography and occasional incidents of insecurity, that stance is sensible and reassuring to investors and residents alike.
Recognition and Performance: Health and Sports Accolades
Wednesday’s meeting also served as a platform for Governor Diri to receive and celebrate good news. The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, presented the recognition of Bayelsa as the “Best State in Health Insurance Service Delivery” by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. In the same vein, the Ministry of Sports presented a Distinguished Governor Award to Diri for his support of sports development, as conveyed by Dr. Daniel Igali through the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria.
These awards are politically useful and substantively meaningful: they allow the administration to point to deliverables and social investments even as political realignment takes place at the top. In other words, Diri is attempting to reframe the narrative from partisan drama to administrative competence.
Political Calculus and the Road Ahead
Several political realities inform Governor Diri’s posture:
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Institutional Stability: Keeping the deputy within government is crucial for continuity. A public rupture could jeopardise governance and service delivery.
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Electoral Arithmetic: For Diri, persuading the deputy and other influential officeholders to shift allegiance over time may be preferable to forcing defections that generate backlash.
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Public Perception Management: By appealing for unity and discouraging violence, Diri aims to present himself as a statesman rather than a partisan agitator.
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Security Optics: Denying panic while mobilising security forces projects control—an important signal to both investors and citizens.
Diri’s refrain — “I might have the power today but not tomorrow” — is a rare public admission of political humility. It tempers the attempt to persuade with a reminder: political fortunes are fluid, and coercion is both risky and short-sighted.
Final Thoughts
Governor Douye Diri’s handling of his deputy’s non-defection is a study in political management: measured, patient, and oriented toward negotiation. His insistence on dialogue, his quick resolution of a potentially escalatory legal action, and his simultaneous attention to governance wins (health and sports recognition) combine into a strategy that seeks to stabilise Bayelsa’s political environment while he navigates a new partisan reality.
Whether dialogue will ultimately lead Senator Ewhrudjakpo into the APC remains uncertain. What is certain, however, is that for now the governor has chosen to keep the conversation open — and, in doing so, he has bought time for both political persuasion and administrative delivery.
Source: Press release/briefing from the Office of the Governor, Bayelsa State — Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary (Dated: November 12, 2025).
Author: ✍️ Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Activist | Development Advocate | Editor, Global Egberi Media International
Tags: #DouyeDiri #LawrenceEwhrudjakpo #BayelsaPolitics #APC #PDP #Security #HealthInsurance #SportsDevelopment
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📢 Politics with a human face. Governor Douye Diri says he will not force his deputy to join the APC — he prefers dialogue. Read Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi’s analysis on what this means for Bayelsa’s politics and governance on Global Egberi Media International.
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