Nollywood actor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the Bayelsa State governorship vacant following Governor Douye Diri’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Diri, along with members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, resigned from the PDP on Wednesday, sparking speculation that he may be planning to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor did not provide specific reasons for his departure, only citing “obvious reasons.”
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri made the announcement during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa. The meeting was attended by Speaker of the House of Assembly Abraham Ingobere, his deputy Michael Ogbere, the All Progressives Grand Alliance minority leader Edward Brigidi, and seven other lawmakers. Alabrah noted that the governor decided to resign after extensive consultations with state leaders and thanked his supporters, urging them to remain committed as he works to build a stronger Bayelsa.
The governor did not mention the resignation of his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who was absent from the meeting.
Okonkwo, reacting on Instagram, argued that Diri had automatically vacated his position as governor by leaving the PDP without joining another political party. He cited 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 political party.”
He urged INEC to declare the Bayelsa governorship vacant immediately and organise fresh elections within 90 days.
Okonkwo 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. The law is clear that every elected government official must be a member of a political party, as stated in Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution. An elected official may defect from one party to another, but cannot be partyless. I therefore call on INEC to declare his seat vacant immediately and conduct a gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State within the next 90 days.”
