Sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, on Friday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), blaming persistent internal division within the PDP for their exit.
Amaewhule, who made the announcement during plenary, said he had formally notified his ward chairman of his resignation from the PDP and had completed necessary processes to join the APC.
“Distinguished colleagues, APC is my new party. I will do all that is needed to be done towards ensuring that the party card of the All Progressives Congress is issued to me in no time. But as I speak today, I am a member of the All Progressives Congress,” the Speaker declared.
He pledged support for President Bola Tinubu, saying the lawmakers were aligning with the APC to consolidate federal backing for the state.
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“Mr President is doing so much for this country. He means well for Nigeria and he has shown love to Rivers State. It is only right that we join forces with him,” Amaewhule said.
The mass defection marks a major escalation in the prolonged political confrontation that has rocked Rivers State since late 2023, pitting Governor Siminalayi Fubara against legislators loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The Amaewhule-led faction, believed to be aligned with Wike, has been at the centre of legislative hostilities, including attempted impeachment moves that intensified tensions between both power blocs.
Legal disputes over the legitimacy of the two rival assemblies have further deepened the crisis, with various court rulings alternating recognition between Amaewhule and Edison Ehie, the former Speaker who now serves as Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara.
At the national level, the PDP continues to struggle with internal fractures, with long-standing disputes involving Wike and the party hierarchy contributing to a wave of strategic realignments.
