For the second time in two years, some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule have announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In December 2023, at least 25 lawmakers of the assembly, who are loyal to the immediate past governor of the state, Barrister Nyesom Wike, who has since become the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), defected from the PDP to APC.
But the decision was legally challenged on the ground that there was no division in the PDP, as constitutionally required to make elected lawmakers not lose their seats in the parliament.
At that time, rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said that lawmakers cannot decamp and remain members of the legislative house.
He argued that the decamped lawmakers would have to show that there is division in their previous party — PDP.
He said; ‘In the case of Adetunde and the Labour Party, the supreme court made it clear that you cannot decamp and then remain a member of a legislative house in Nigeria unless you can show that there is division in your party. Today, the PDP is one’.
During plenary on Friday, Amaewhule, on behalf of himself and 15 other members of the House, announced the lawmakers’ decision, citing what he described as a ‘clear division’ within the PDP as the reason for their defection.
He told his colleagues that he had formally notified his ward chairman of his exit from the PDP, adding that he had already joined the APC.
He said: ‘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. 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 praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, saying that he ‘means well for Nigeria’ and had shown ‘love to Rivers State’.
He added that supporting the President from inside the APC was now the lawmakers’ priority, insisting that internal divisions within the PDP made their continued membership untenable.
Since late 2023, the state has been engulfed in a prolonged political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers loyal to Wike.
As a result, the Assembly had made several moves, including attempted impeachment that escalated tensions.
The internal crisis has also spawned conflicting court rulings on the legitimacy of the Amaewhule-led Assembly, with different judgements at various times recognising either Amaewhule or Hon. Edison Ehie (now Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara) as Speaker.
At the national level, the PDP has continued to grapple with internal fractures, including long-running disputes involving Wike and the party leadership.
The lawmakers’ reference to ‘division’ in the PDP aligns with a trend of alignments and defections triggered by the party’s unresolved internal battles.
The crisis degenerated and President Bola Tinubu had to impose a six-month emergency rule on the state, at the conclusion of which all factions were collapsed into one.
