Author name: Umar Idris Shuaibu

Former Bayelsa East Senator, Ben Murray-Bruce, has officially announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The media entrepreneur and founder of Silverbird Group made the announcement on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, commending President Bola Tinubu for his courage, leadership, and economic vision for Nigeria. Murray-Bruce stated that, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, the country has a president who truly understands finance and views the economy as “a living organism that must be disciplined, deregulated, and allowed to breathe.” Read Also: Douye Diri Dumps PDP With 23 Bayelsa Lawmakers He expressed optimism that the current economic hardship would soon subside, describing ongoing reforms as the foundation for future prosperity. “The painful reforms we face today are the very foundation of tomorrow’s prosperity. We are moving into a free-market economy—one that rewards hard work and innovation instead of dependency and distortion,” he said. The former senator praised the administration’s security and economic measures, noting that “insecurity is being quietly and systematically dismantled.” He added that the Central Bank of Nigeria is “now professionally steered, stabilizing the economy, rebuilding confidence, and restoring the dignity of the naira.” Murray-Bruce also lauded Tinubu’s infrastructural drive across the country, citing improvements in roads, ports, airports, and housing. “These developments are not just concrete and steel; they are the arteries through which growth and opportunity now flow,” he said. He explained that his decision to join the APC was driven by a belief in President Tinubu’s leadership and vision for national progress, not political gain. “That is why today, I am joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), not for politics, but for progress. Because I believe that Bola Tinubu’s leadership, guided by courage and intellect, will deliver the Nigeria we have all dreamed of. In the full term of eight years, Nigeria will witness phenomenal growth. I choose to stand with that vision, with reform, and with the future,” he stated. Murray-Bruce’s defection follows the recent moves by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and 23 Bayelsa State House of Assembly members, who also dumped the PDP for the APC—just 24 hours after Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah made a similar switch.

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has formally resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to reports by Arise TV, Diri’s defection was accompanied by 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, marking a major political shift in the South-South state. The development comes barely 24 hours after Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also dumped the PDP for the APC — a move seen by analysts as part of the ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Read Also: Mbah Leads Enugu Political Shift as He Dumps PDP for Ruling APC Although official details of the defection ceremony remain sketchy, sources revealed that the Bayelsa governor and the lawmakers are expected to formally declare their allegiance to the APC in the coming days. The wave of defections has recently intensified as several federal and state legislators from opposition parties continue to join the ruling party, citing the need for “national alignment” and “political stability.”