𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐢’𝐬 𝐀𝐏𝐂 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡.

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has distanced himself from Governor Douye Diri’s reported defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his continued allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ewhrudjakpo’s decision comes amid widespread political tension following Diri’s formal resignation from the PDP on Wednesday, announced by his spokesman, Daniel Alabrah. The governor’s defection, which took place during the State Executive Council meeting, has left the state’s political class sharply divided, with some key figures choosing loyalty to party over loyalty to person.

Sources close to the deputy governor confirmed that Ewhrudjakpo deliberately stayed away from the meeting where Diri made his announcement — a symbolic act interpreted as his rejection of the defection. “The Deputy Governor didn’t attend because he’s not defecting alongside the governor,” a senior government insider told The Radiant News.

Another party source revealed that Ewhrudjakpo’s position reflects the sentiments of several PDP loyalists in the state, including former Governor Seriake Dickson, who have vowed to keep the party alive and formidable in Bayelsa. “The Deputy Governor, Ewhrudjakpo, and other leaders in our party are still with the PDP; we’re going nowhere,” the source said.

However, the political standoff may soon escalate. Some lawmakers who followed Diri to the APC are reportedly considering impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor for “gross misconduct” — a move allegedly linked to his refusal to defect.

“If the State Assembly victimises him for remaining in the PDP, he may be forced to take appropriate action,” another insider hinted, suggesting the deputy governor could challenge any such attempt legally.

Ewhrudjakpo, a lawyer and former senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, has been a loyal PDP member since his emergence alongside Diri in 2019 and their re-election in 2023. Known for his calm but firm disposition, he has often championed political loyalty, institutional stability, and the principle that governance should rise above personal ambition.

Political observers say the unfolding development could mark a defining moment for Bayelsa’s political landscape, testing the strength of party ideology and the limits of loyalty in a state long dominated by the PDP.