“Clear Division In Our Party Is Undeniable” — Rivers Speaker Amaewhule Leads 16 Lawmakers In Mass Defection From PDP To APC For The Second Time

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, along with 15 other lawmakers, formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, underscoring deepening divisions within the state’s ruling party.

The lawmakers who dumped the PDP include Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt 3), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt 2), Enemi George (Asari-Toru 2), Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1), Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru 1), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru 2), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).

Amaewhule, leading a faction of 16 members half of the assembly’s 32 lawmakers cited a “clear division” within the PDP as the primary reason for the mass defection. The move comes amid prolonged political tensions in the oil-rich state, exacerbated by a power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Addressing the assembly during the ongoing plenary session, Amaewhule emphasized the irreconcilable rifts that have plagued the party. “The division in our party is clear and undeniable,” he stated, according to multiple reports. The defectors, who previously controlled a pro-Wike faction in the assembly, have clashed with the governor’s supporters for months, resulting in parallel legislative activities and legal disputes over the assembly’s legitimacy.

The defection reduces the PDP’s representation in the Rivers State House of Assembly to 16 members, while significantly bolstering the APC’s influence in the state legislature. Political analysts view the development as a strategic realignment ahead of future elections, potentially strengthening the APC’s hold on Rivers, a key battleground in Nigerian politics.

At the time of reporting, there was no immediate reaction from Governor Fubara or the PDP leadership.

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