A former member of the House of Representatives and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Israel Sunny-Goli, has expressed optimism that Governor Douye Diri will soon join the ruling party.

Governor Diri announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, fueling speculation about his next political move.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Sunny-Goli explained why he and other APC stalwarts in Bayelsa are praying for the governor to join their ranks.

According to him, Governor Diri’s leadership style and development strides align with the APC’s progressive agenda, making him a welcome addition to the party if he decides to make the switch.

“We see a leader who is competent, capable, sincere, and ready to take the state to the next level. I can tell you, he will finish stronger than any governor that has come before him because of the projects we see on ground.

“That is why those of us in the APC are praying and hoping that, when he finally tells the world which party he’s going to, it will be the APC,” Sunny-Goli said.

He revealed that he voted for Governor Douye Diri in the last Bayelsa governorship election, despite being a member of the APC, citing the governor’s outstanding leadership qualities as his reason for doing so.

Sunny-Goli also dismissed the possibility of Diri joining other opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or the Labour Party (LP), insisting that those parties lack the stability and structure of the APC.

After weeks of speculations, Governor Diri finally announced his resignation from the PDP on Wednesday at the exco chamber in the Bayelsa State Government House.

He said his decision was for an obvious reason, but did not state the reason or the political party to which he will be moving.

“After extensive consultations, today, October 15, 2025, I wish to notify you that, in keeping with the extant protocols, I, Governor Douye Diri, do hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party,” he announced. (Channels TV)