Rivers Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule leads 16 lawmakers to defect from PDP to APC, citing party divisions and supporting President Tinubu
Sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing deep divisions within the PDP as the driving factor.
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Amaewhule, addressing lawmakers during plenary on Friday, confirmed his own departure from the PDP and stated that he had joined the APC.
He said the defection was aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu’s national agenda.
“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. As I speak today, I am a member of the All Progressives Congress. I am happy to be a member of APC so that we can join forces with Mr President. Mr President is doing so much for this country,” Amaewhule said.
He praised President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a visionary who “means well for Nigeria” and has shown “love to Rivers State.”
The mass defection reflects ongoing political turbulence in Rivers State, where a prolonged rift has persisted since late 2023 between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
Amaewhule leads the faction aligned with Wike, and the Assembly has previously been embroiled in impeachment attempts and legal battles over the speakership, with conflicting court rulings recognising either Amaewhule or Edison Ehie, now Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara.
At the national level, the PDP continues to grapple with internal fractures, including disputes involving Wike and the party leadership.
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The lawmakers cited “division” within the PDP as the principal reason for their defection, reflecting a broader trend of realignments caused by unresolved internal conflicts.
