Bayelsa Governor Diri Behind Arrest Rumours Targeting NDDC Boss, Nabena Alleges
- Former APC spokesman Yekini Nabena accuses Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri of spreading false rumours about NDDC Managing Director Samuel Ogbuku’s arrest
- Nabena claims the governor’s alleged smear campaign aims to weaken Bayelsa APC leadership ahead of his planned defection to the ruling party
- He says Diri lacks support from key PDP figures and will join the APC “empty-handed” without his deputy or major political allies
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has accused Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, of orchestrating false reports linking the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to an alleged coup plot.
Nabena said the rumour was a calculated attempt to smear Ogbuku’s reputation and weaken the current APC leadership structure in Bayelsa ahead of Diri’s alleged plan to defect to the ruling party.
Source: Twitter
He said the entire story about Ogbuku’s supposed arrest was fabricated to create confusion within the party.
Alleged plan to destabilize Bayelsa APC
Speaking with journalists on Friday in Abuja, Nabena claimed that Diri’s camp was behind the recent wave of misinformation.
In a statement made available to Legit.ng, according to him, the governor’s goal is to discredit key figures in the Bayelsa APC and assume control upon joining the party.
“Let me put it on record that we are not saying the Governor should not join the APC. It is a democracy and he has the right to join any party,” Nabena said.
“The fact we will not take is for him to destroy some people and the existing leadership of the APC in Bayelsa state because he wants to take full control of the party.”
He alleged that the campaign of falsehood intensified as Diri prepared to officially announce his defection to the APC on Monday. According to Nabena, the governor’s move is driven by political desperation rather than genuine alignment with APC values.
Governor Lacks Strong Political Support -- Nabena
Nabena insisted that Diri would join the APC “empty-handed,” claiming that most prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa had declined to follow him.
Source: Facebook
He contrasted the situation with recent defections in Delta and Enugu, where key political figures switched parties alongside their leaders.
“This is a governor that his deputy is not defecting with him, hence he is plotting to impeach the deputy governor,” Nabena stated.
“Even some state House of Assembly members have rejected him. About 90 percent of the serving National Assembly members, including Senator Dickson and other high-profile lawmakers, are not on the same page with him.”
The APC chieftain described Diri as a leader struggling to maintain influence even in his constituency. He questioned the motive behind the governor’s reported defection and alleged efforts to discredit Ogbuku and other Bayelsa APC leaders.
Nabena further noted that many PDP members in Bayelsa were more inclined to align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through Ogbuku’s leadership within the NDDC. He maintained that Ogbuku remains a respected figure in the region, and attempts to taint his image would fail.
Full list of governors left under PDP
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) had suffered another major setback following the defection of two of its governors to the All Progressives Congress.
The exits of Enugu state governor, Peter Mbah, and Bayelsa state governor, Douye Diri, reduced the number of PDP-controlled states to eight, tightening the ruling party’s grip on national politics.
Legit.ng compiled the list of the remaining eight PDP governors in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
