ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Kenneth Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the office of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri vacant, following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Diri had on Wednesday announced his resignation from the PDP during a cabinet meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa.
However, he did not disclose the political party he intended to join next.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo, in a statement issued on Thursday, argued that Diri’s resignation from the PDP automatically rendered his office vacant.
READ ALSO: PDP Governors Fleeing From Mess They Created – Dickson
He cited Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that every person seeking to be elected as a governor must be a member of a political party.
Okonkwo maintained that since Diri is currently not affiliated with any political party, he has technically ceased to be the governor of Bayelsa State.
“Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has just vacated his seat as the Governor of Bayelsa State by resigning from the PDP and not belonging to any party,” Okonkwo wrote.
The former Labour Party stalwart made the remark in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) at 12:54 PM on October 16, 2025, which has since garnered over 7,000 views and numerous reactions.