Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has declared that he will not compel his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his own recent move to the ruling party.
Governor Diri, who officially joined the APC on November 3 after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 15, made the statement during a State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday at the Government House, Yenagoa. His deputy, Ewhrudjakpo, who earlier sought a court order to stop his impeachment for refusing to join the APC, was also in attendance.
Addressing the council, Diri said his leadership style favours dialogue over coercion, stressing that ongoing discussions with his deputy have been constructive. He confirmed that the court case filed by Ewhrudjakpo had been withdrawn, signalling progress in their reconciliation efforts.
“I will not force anyone to join the APC. Power is transient. What matters is unity and the collective growth of Bayelsa,” Diri said. “While it is difficult for the governor and his deputy to belong to different parties, we will continue to talk. Politics should unite us, not divide us.”
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He dismissed rumours of armed groups entering the state as false, assuring residents that security agencies were on alert to maintain peace.
During the meeting, Diri received awards from the Nigeria Governors Forum for excellence in health insurance delivery and from the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria for his outstanding contributions to sports development.
