The Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, has confirmed his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Sunday at the 14th Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day at the Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Diri said he is taking the difficult decision in the interest of the people of Bayelsa.
As earlier reported by Naijaonpoint, the Bayelsa State Governor will formally defect to the APC on Monday.
According to sources quoted by The Cable, Diri, who resigned from the PDP on October 15, has been engaged in weeks of discreet negotiations with key APC figures to finalise his defection plan.
Speaking on Sunday, the Governor, who spoke publicly about his defection for the first time, said that some persons might not understand why he is joining the APC, but with time, his reasons would become clearer.
He added that politics is about bringing development to the people and his government would ensure the people of Bayelsa continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The Governor noted that the current peace and security in Bayelsa is enough reason for the people of the state to continue praising God.
“Somebody had to make the decision, and I took it on behalf of the state. I took it in the best interest of Bayelsa. Some of you might not understand now, but later it will be clear to all.
“When we came in as a government, what we did at the beginning was to ensure that most of the uncompleted projects were completed, and we introduced new ones. That alone is enough reason to thank God.
“The peace and security we are enjoying is another reason to thank God. Politics is for development, not to kill your brother. The gathering here is a testimony of the unity in the state,” he said.
Naijaonpoint reports that the PDP has suffered a series of high-profile defections in recent months, weakening its presence both at the national and state levels.
Apart from Diri, three other governors, Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), and Peter Mbah (Enugu) have crossed over to the APC in the past year.
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