Great Joshua MacIver has formally declared his intention to contest the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket for the November 2027 off-cycle election in Bayelsa State.

In a letter to the Bayelsa PDP State Working Committee, MacIver emphasized his commitment to the welfare of the people, arguing that competence and experience not zoning should determine the party’s choice of candidate.

“I firmly believe that the people of Bayelsa State deserve a leader who prioritises effectiveness, the welfare of our people, and the development of our state,” he stated.

As part of his contribution to strengthening the PDP, MacIver pledged to donate N70 million monthly to the party beginning in August 2026.

MacIver, who previously served as chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government under the PDP, was the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 Bayelsa election. 

He defected to the PDP earlier this year, citing alleged marginalization by Governor Douye Diri after Diri’s defection from the PDP to the APC.

Welcomed back into the PDP in April 2026, MacIver predicted that more APC members dissatisfied with Diri’s leadership would follow suit. 

He argued that the governor’s decision to align with a minority faction of the APC had alienated the majority of party members, many of whom he believes will defect to the PDP ahead of the 2027 poll.

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