A prominent Ijaw elder statesman and political influencer, Chief Wellington Okorotie, has stirred the political waters in the Niger Delta by calling on Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming it is the only way to guarantee real development in the South-South region.
Speaking during a high-powered meeting of regional leaders in Yenagoa on Thursday, Chief Okorotie said the South-South has suffered “deliberate marginalization” under successive governments due to its opposition stance at the national level. He argued that aligning with the APC-led federal government would enable Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states to attract vital infrastructure, security investments, and political relevance.
“Governor Diri is a fine leader. He has vision, charisma, and the love of the people,” Okorotie said. “But leadership must be strategic. The time has come for him to join the moving train. If he truly desires development for the Ijaw nation and the South-South at large, he must align with the center.”
The Ijaw leader pointed to what he described as “accelerated development” in APC-controlled states, noting that states like Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom were already “reaping the benefits” of strategic alliances with Abuja.
“You can’t be shouting ‘resource control’ and ‘true federalism’ when you are not even sitting at the table where decisions are made,” he said. “Diri must be bold like Wike. He must take that political risk for his people.”
Governor Douye Diri, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), responded cautiously through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, saying the governor remains committed to development through principled governance, not party affiliation.
“Bayelsa’s progress is not tied to any one political party. Governor Diri is focused on peace, education, and economic development. He will not be distracted by political speculation,” Alabrah said.
Sources close to the governor, however, suggest that while Diri remains loyal to the PDP, the pressure to consider a political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections is growing, especially as federal projects continue to bypass Bayelsa.
The call has sparked mixed reactions across the South-South, especially among Ijaw youth and traditional leaders. Some see it as pragmatic politics, while others view it as a betrayal of the region’s struggle for autonomy and justice.
Ijaw Youth Council spokesman, Ebi Gbaranbiri, warned against turning development into a tool for political blackmail: “We cannot mortgage our political identity for short-term gains. The APC has not shown any special love to the Niger Delta either.”
Political analysts believe Chief Okorotie’s statement may be the opening salvo in a larger plan to woo key South-South leaders into the APC ahead of 2027. Already, closed-door meetings have been held in Abuja involving power brokers and governors from the region.
As Nigeria’s political temperature rises ahead of the next election cycle, Governor Diri finds himself at a crossroads — stick with the PDP and maintain ideological purity, or defect to the APC and seek federal influence for his people.
Either way, Chief Okorotie’s call has reignited an old debate in the Niger Delta: Is development best achieved through loyalty, or through leverage?
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