Douye Diri is the Governor of Bayelsa State. He became governor in unusual circumstances in February 2020, when the Supreme Court disqualified the declared winner of the 2019 election a day before his inauguration. He won a second term in 2023 and left the PDP for the APC in 2025.12

Early life and career

Diri was born on 4 June 1959 in Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma. He trained as a teacher and graduated in political science education from the University of Port Harcourt in 1990.1 He served in the Bayelsa State government and in the House of Representatives before being elected senator for Bayelsa Central in 2019.1

How he became governor

In the November 2019 governorship election, INEC declared David Lyon of the APC the winner. On 13 February 2020, the day before Lyon was to be sworn in, the Supreme Court nullified his election because his running mate had submitted false information to INEC, and ordered that Diri, the PDP candidate, be declared governor. He was sworn in on 14 February 2020. An election tribunal ordered his removal later that year, but the Court of Appeal reversed the decision in October 2020.1

Second term

In November 2023 Diri defeated former Minister of State for Petroleum Timipre Sylva of the APC to win a second term.3

Move to the APC

Diri announced his exit from the PDP in October 2025 and was received into the APC in November 2025.42 His deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, refused to follow him, and there were reports of an impeachment plot, which Diri said he would not support. Ewhrudjakpo died in December 2025 after collapsing.56

Personal life

Diri is married to Gloria Diri.1

References

  1. Douye Diri. Wikipedia, accessed October 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩

  2. Uzodimma, other APC govs in Bayelsa as Douye Diri joins party. Channels Television, 3 November 2025. ↩ ↩

  3. Diri defeats Sylva, clinches second term as Bayelsa gov. Channels Television, 13 November 2023. ↩

  4. Breaking: Bayelsa Gov Douye Diri dumps PDP. Channels Television, 15 October 2025. ↩

  5. Defection: ‘I won’t force my deputy to join APC’ – Gov Diri. AllAfrica, November 2025. ↩

  6. Bayelsa Deputy Governor Ewhrudjakpo is dead – official. AllAfrica, December 2025. ↩