The political landscape in Bayelsa State has been dramatically altered following Governor Douye Diri’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) this week, prompting immediate calls for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare his office vacant. Governor Diri announced his departure from the PDP on Wednesday, alongside several members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, fueling widespread speculation that a defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is imminent.
Reacting swiftly to the development, Nollywood actor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, argued that the governor had automatically forfeited his constitutional right to the seat by remaining unaffiliated with any political party.
In a post on his official Instagram page, Okonkwo cited Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that a person is only qualified for election to the office of governor if they are “a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party.”
“Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has just vacated his seat as governor by resigning from the PDP and not belonging to any party,” Okonkwo wrote. He stressed the legal principle that while an elected official can defect from one party to another, they “cannot remain partyless at any point.” Based on this interpretation, the ADC chieftain formally called on INEC to “declare his seat vacant immediately and conduct a fresh election in Bayelsa State within the next 90 days.”
