A former member of the House of Representatives and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Israel Sunny-Goli, has expressed confidence that Governor Douye Diri will soon join the ruling party.
Sunny-Goli made the remark on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, a day after Diri announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sparking intense speculation about his next political move.
According to the former lawmaker, Diri’s leadership style and record of development align closely with the APC’s progressive agenda, making him a welcome addition if he chooses to pitch his tent with the ruling party.
“We see a leader who is competent, capable, sincere, and ready to take the state to the next level. I can tell you, he will finish stronger than any governor that has come before him because of the projects we see on ground,” Sunny-Goli said.
“That is why those of us in the APC are praying and hoping that, when he finally tells the world which party he’s going to, it will be the APC,” he added.
Sunny-Goli also revealed that he voted for Diri in the last Bayelsa governorship election despite being a member of the APC, saying the governor’s performance transcended party lines.
He dismissed the possibility of the governor joining smaller opposition parties such as the Labour Party (LP) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that they lack the structure and stability of the APC.
Recall that after weeks of speculation, Governor Diri on Wednesday formally resigned from the PDP.
“After extensive consultations, today, October 15, 2025, I wish to notify you that, in keeping with the extant protocols, I, Governor Douye Diri, do hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party,” Diri announced at the exco chamber in the Bayelsa State Government House.
Although he did not disclose his next political destination, his resignation has heightened expectations of a major political realignment in Bayelsa ahead of future elections.
