By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has clarified that he will not pressure his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to join him in the All Progressives Congress (APC), following his own defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last month.
Speaking at Wednesday’s state executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, with Ewhrudjakpo seated beside him, the governor said he preferred dialogue to coercion and would continue to engage with his deputy on the matter.
Diri, who officially became a member of the APC on November 3 after resigning from the PDP on October 15, acknowledged that it was “difficult” for both of them to operate from separate political camps but expressed confidence that their discussions would yield a mutual understanding.
He also disclosed that the legal case filed by his deputy at a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop an alleged impeachment move had been withdrawn after a private conversation between the two leaders.
The governor, who used the session to urge calm among residents, said politics should not divide the state but instead serve as a platform to promote development.
His words: “I express our gratitude to the people of our state for the successful and well attended thanksgiving day service. The spirit of oneness and love is what we should keep exhibiting.
“I like to also thank the people for the mammoth crowd at the sports complex during our defection. I appreciate the leader of our party, President Bola Tinubu, and Vice President Kashim Shettima. I pledge our loyalty to continue to work for a better Nigeria, for the upliftment of the standard of living of our people.
“Let me address an issue that had been a subject of speculation in the media. I do not intend to force people to join the APC but rather to appeal to them to see reason with me. I might have the power today but not tomorrow.
“It is actually difficult for the governor to be on one side and the deputy on another. But we will continue to talk and we might end up in the same party tomorrow.
“We must not heat up the polity. We are done with violence in Bayelsa State. We are brothers and we are one. Politics should be for the development of the state and not to fight one another.”
Diri also dismissed circulating reports that armed men from another part of the country had entered Bayelsa, describing the claims as fake news.
He said security agencies had been alerted to monitor the situation and ensure that peace was maintained across the state.
The governor reaffirmed that Bayelsa remains one of the most peaceful and secure states in the country, urging residents to go about their normal activities and report any security concerns to the relevant authorities rather than spreading unverified information on social media.
Hon. Comrade James Onifade