All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and founder of the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA), Reuben Wilson, has added his voice to the call urging Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to defect to the APC.

Reacting on Wednesday to an earlier appeal by the Concerned Bayelsa Stakeholders Forum, which had also called on Governor Diri to join the ruling party, Wilson said such a move would be a welcome development for the state.

He explained that aligning Bayelsa State with the APC-led federal government would help the state access key federal projects and development initiatives, which are crucial to its progress.

Citing the example of the Akwa Ibom State Governor who recently defected from the PDP to the APC, Wilson said the state has already started witnessing dividends of that decision, including the commencement of a deep seaport and other federal development projects.

Pastor Wilson, who is also a member of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said Governor Diri’s defection could lead to the federal government taking over some of Bayelsa’s multi-billion-naira projects. According to him, this would relieve the state of financial burden and enable it to redirect funds to other development priorities.

He also urged politicians forming a coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections to instead rally behind the President, citing the administration’s developmental strides.

“No gang-up against Tinubu will succeed,” Wilson said, while dismissing the prospects of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, stating it would have no meaningful impact in 2027.

He vowed to mobilize support to ensure that the APC’s performance in the next general elections surpasses that of 2023, predicting that Governor Diri’s defection would solidify the party’s foothold in Bayelsa and pave the way for a convincing victory in 2027.