In a surprising twist to the ongoing political saga in Rivers State, 27 members of the State House of Assembly have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move, confirmed by Assembly member Enemi George to Channels Television, was executed under the leadership of Martin Amaewhule during their Monday morning sitting.
The defection comes amid a protracted Speakership tussle involving Martin Amaewhule and Edison Ehie, with both figures embroiled in a power struggle. Amaewhule, reportedly aligned with ex-governor Nyesom Wike, and Ehie, known to be in Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s camp, have been at odds for weeks.
In October, under Amaewhule’s leadership, the Assembly served an impeachment notice on Governor Fubara and ousted Ehie as the House leader. However, in a swift turn of events, members loyal to Fubara impeached Amaewhule and appointed Ehie as the new Speaker.
The genesis of the crisis in the 32-member Assembly traces back to a rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Despite recent public appearances suggesting a resolution between the two politicians, Monday’s mass defection from the PDP to the APC injects fresh uncertainty into the state’s political landscape.
Notably, over the weekend, some political figures from other parties announced their defection to the PDP. Among them were Patricia Ogbonnaya, the deputy governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, and Karibo Wilson, former Ahoada-West Chairman.
They, along with their supporters and other party executives, joined the PDP faction loyal to Governor Fubara.
The event also witnessed the presence of lawmakers from the Ehie-led group, including Goodboy Sokari representing Ahoada West and Oko Jumbo from Bonny Constituency, aligning themselves with the governor’s camp.
As the political landscape in Rivers State continues to evolve, the recent developments signal potential for further drama in the state’s political arena.
