16 LAWMAKERS DEFECT FROM PDP TO APC IN RIVERS STATE
Sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made during Friday’s plenary session, marking a significant consolidation of power for the APC in the oil-rich southern state.
Amaewhule, addressing the chamber, cited irreconcilable “internal divisions” within the PDP as the primary reason for the mass defection. “The clear division in our party has made it impossible for us to continue delivering effective representation to our constituents,” he declared, emphasizing the move’s aim to foster stability and better governance.
The defectors, loyal to former Governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, have been at odds with incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara since late 2023, amid escalating factional battles over control of the state’s resources and political machinery.
This development flips the assembly’s balance, handing the APC a commanding majority in what was once a PDP stronghold. With the opposition now reduced to a handful of pro-Fubara lawmakers, analysts predict intensified legislative gridlock and potential legal challenges invoking the constitutional clause on defection and seat forfeiture. PDP chieftains have already condemned the move as a “betrayal,” vowing to explore all avenues to reclaim lost ground.
As Rivers State braces for fallout, the defection underscores the fragile alliances defining President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led federal government, with Wike’s influence appearing bolstered—at least for now. Further reactions from Governor Fubara and national party leaders are expected imminently.
