A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress and Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare the seat of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, vacant following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Governor Diri had on Wednesday announced his resignation from the PDP during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.
The meeting was attended by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, his deputy, Michael Ogbere, and several other lawmakers.
Confirming the development, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said Diri made the decision “after extensive consultations with leaders of the state,” adding that he appreciated his supporters “for standing firmly with him and his administration.”
However, Diri did not give details of his next political move, fuelling speculation that he might be set to join the All Progressives Congress.
His deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, was notably absent from the meeting.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo argued that the governor’s resignation automatically invalidated his position, as the constitution requires every elected officeholder to be a member of a political party.
Quoting Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the actor-turned-politician said, “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor of a state if he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party.”
In a post shared via his Instagram page, Okonkwo stated:
“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 — every elected member of government must be a member of a political party.
An elected official can defect from one party to another but cannot be partyless at any point in time.”
He therefore called on INEC to take immediate action.
“I call on INEC to declare his seat vacant and conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State within 90 days,” Okonkwo said.
Meanwhile, Diri’s resignation has stirred mixed reactions across Bayelsa’s political landscape, with some observers viewing it as a strategic realignment ahead of the next political cycle.
