A legal debate has erupted following reports that Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without formally joining another political party.
Senior lawyers across the country have expressed divergent opinions on whether Diri can legally remain in office under such circumstances. While some argue that Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution requires a governor to belong to a political party to hold office, others insist that resignation from a party does not automatically invalidate a governorship mandate once elections have been concluded.
The controversy has sparked wider political and constitutional discussions ahead of the 2027 elections, with calls for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the courts to provide clarity on the issue.
