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DEFECT OUT OF CONVICTION, DIRI TELLS POLITICIANS
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has advised politicians to defect from one political party to another only out of personal conviction, stressing that political decisions should be guided by public interest rather than loyalty to individuals.
Diri, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), said politics is dynamic and involves alignments and realignments aimed at achieving development and progress.
The governor formally resigned from the PDP on October 15, 2025, and was received into the APC on November 3, 2025, in Yenagoa by party leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He spoke on Monday night at the January edition of the monthly Praise Night held at the Government House, Yenagoa.In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, Diri said political decisions must be taken with deep reflection and conviction.
“There is no static nature in politics because we have alignments and re-alignments. The development and progress of our state is the reason we are in politics,” the governor said.“I do not just take decisions. I consult, I pray, and my spirit tells me where I should go.”
Tracing his political journey, Diri said he had belonged to different political parties based on prevailing circumstances.“Most of you know my political trajectory. I moved from the National Solidarity Movement. When the party was dying, we moved to the PDP and then to the Labour Party,” he said.“
In the Labour Party, we met a brick wall. That was when I was invited back to the PDP. If I had not moved, I might not have become governor.”
He said while political movement is allowed, it must be purposeful.“Changing camps is allowed, but do it out of conviction. Do not be a slave to anyone. Your destiny and another person’s destiny are not the same,” Diri said.
The governor warned politicians against sacrificing the future of the state for personal interest, asking what legacy they intend to leave behind.
“What are we handing over to our children? Confusion, misunderstanding, and enmity because of someone’s personal interest?” he asked.On governance, Diri said his administration remained focused on consolidating development across the state.
He expressed optimism that the 630-metre bridge across River Nun at Angiama, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, would be completed in the first quarter of the year.
He also said work was progressing on the Nembe–Brass road project, noting that while it may not be completed this year, the first phase would be advanced to allow boat travel to Brass in under 20 minutes.
On power supply, the governor described the acquisition of the state’s 60-megawatt gas turbines as a landmark achievement, noting that Bayelsa was the first state in the country to undertake such a project.
Diri also thanked the clergy, Bayelsans, security agencies, and sympathisers for their support during the burial of his late deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
Addressing speculations, the governor said there was no rift between him and his late deputy following his defection to the APC.
He explained that Ewhrudjakpo had gone to court without informing him due to fear of impeachment but later apologised and withdrew the suit.“Nobody could have impeached him if I did not approve it,” Diri said.
In his sermon, the General Overseer of the Royal House of Grace International Church, Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey, urged worshippers to appreciate God’s love and power and commended the state government for sustaining the monthly Praise Night.
He prayed for the Prosperity Government to finish strong.
By Shu’aibu Usman Leman
I did not react with shock when the news came from Duguri, Bauchi State.
I reacted with dread,the kind that comes from long familiarity with loss.
It was the same grim script Nigerian journalists know too well, that an official assignment, a road accident, injuries, critical conditions, and families waiting in fear for updates.
A team of journalists had been deployed to cover the commissioning of projects by the North East Development Commission when their journey was violently interrupted along the Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road.
Fourteen Journalists survived with injuries that will heal with time.
Others remain in critical condition, moved from one hospital to another as colleagues and loved ones hold their breath.
The media organisations affected are not distant names to me.
They are newsrooms I know, voices I recognise, and professionals whose risks I have worried about for decades.
That is why this incident feels deeply personal.
It is not a statistic or a breaking-news alert; it is another wound in a profession that bleeds quietly.
When I wrote Bleeding Ink, I tried to document the hidden dangers of journalism in Nigeria,the risks that are ignored, normalised, and rarely acknowledged.
Receiving the news today, I feel that book writing itself again.
The ink is bleeding again, for the same reasons it always has.
I have spent decades in this profession, including my years as National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and I have seen this pattern repeat itself too many times.
When accidents happen on official assignments, it is almost always journalists who are injured or killed, reporters, camera operators, and drivers never the public officials whose events necessitated the journey.
I remember the emergency phone calls, the rushed hospital visits, and the funerals that came too soon.
I remember asking how this injustice became routine.
Why is it that in convoys of power and ceremony, the journalist is the expendable one, left bleeding by the roadside?
The contrast is stark.
Journalists are often transported in poorly maintained vehicles, driven long distances without safety checks, insurance cover, or contingency planning.
There are usually no safety briefings, no clear lines of responsibility, and no plan for what happens when things go wrong.
Hope replaces preparation.
Meanwhile, public officials travel in well-serviced convoys, driven by trained professionals and protected by security protocols designed to minimise risk.
The message is unmistakable, that those who govern are protected, while those who document governance are left to chance.
This is not misfortune. It is a systemic failure that has repeated itself so often it now hides behind familiarity.
After every accident, there are statements of sympathy and hospital visits.
Then the attention fades, lessons remain unlearned, and the next assignment proceeds unchanged.
The Bauchi accident must not be allowed to follow this familiar path into silence.
Media organisations must refuse substandard transportation, government agencies must take responsibility for accredited journalists, and the NUJ must insist on enforceable safety standards and proper insurance cover.
To my injured colleagues, I wish you strength and healing; to your families, I share your fear and anger.
To those with the power to act, I say this plainly , that the ink has bled enough, and if nothing changes, it will bleed again.
~Shu’aibu Usman Leman is a former National Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists-NUJ… AUF…(Friday 06/02/2026)#Tribute.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally recognized the leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, a move the party says will restore stability and strengthen preparations for its National Convention and the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, signed by Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Working Committee, the PDP described INEC’s decision as a decisive and commendable intervention aimed at re-establishing order, constitutional governance and internal cohesion within the party.
According to the party, the recognition comes at a critical period as the PDP begins early preparations for its National Convention and the broader strategic task of positioning itself to field credible candidates for the 2027 elections.
The PDP noted that by affirming a lawful leadership structure in line with a Federal High Court judgment, INEC has helped eliminate uncertainties that could have undermined the party’s organizational processes and electoral readiness.
The National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC) commended the electoral commission for what it described as its commitment to due process and the rule of law, adding that such actions strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and reassure party members that legality remains the guiding principle in electoral matters.
“This recognition represents a strategic step towards restoring stability and order within our great party,” the statement said.
The party further called on its members nationwide to embrace reconciliation and unity, urging them to set aside internal differences and focus on strengthening the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
The PDP stressed that Nigerians are looking to the party for responsible leadership and a credible political alternative, warning that internal disputes must not distract the party from that responsibility.
It also urged stakeholders at all levels to support the recognized leadership of Abdulrahman Mohammed as it works towards organizing a successful national convention, restoring cohesion within the party and laying the groundwork for the emergence of competent candidates.
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman announced his arrival in Spanish football in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, February 5, 2026, delivering a goal and an assist on his debut for Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
In what fans have described as “The Ademola Lookman Show,” the Super Eagles star produced a high-energy performance, marked by relentless attacking runs, confident dribbling and constant goal threat, as Atletico put on an impressive display.
Although Lookman missed a few early chances, the winger showed remarkable persistence, refusing to drop his intensity.
His determination paid off when he fired home a stunning goal, drawing loud applause from the home crowd and instantly endearing himself to Atletico supporters.
Lookman capped off his debut with a moment of pure class, providing an assist for Antoine Griezmann’s goal.
The Nigerian forward perfectly read Griezmann’s diagonal run before delivering a clever reversed no-look pass, highlighting a growing chemistry between the two attackers.
The seamless understanding between Lookman and Griezmann surprised many, with fans noting that the duo played like long-time teammates despite it being Lookman’s first competitive outing for the club.
Atletico Madrid’s attacking display on the night drew widespread praise, with Lookman’s performance standing out as a major highlight.
Social media in Nigeria quickly erupted with excitement as fans celebrated the winger’s immediate impact in one of Europe’s top leagues.
With such a commanding debut, Ademola Lookman has firmly put La Liga on notice, signalling that Atletico Madrid may have found a new attacking star.