Mr. Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, cited a “clear division” within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the official reason for his defection, alongside 16 other assembly members, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Amaewhule, speaking during the plenary session on Friday, December 5, added that their move would also allow them to join forces with President Bola Tinubu in the effort to fix the country.
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.
Amaewhule’s Deputy, Dumle Maol, is one of the 16 lawmakers that joined APC as well.
“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 the President “means well for Nigeria’’ and had shown “love to Rivers State.”
He further stated that supporting the President from within the APC is now the lawmakers’ priority, emphasizing that internal divisions within the PDP made their continued membership untenable.
Persecondnews reports that all the defecting lawmakers are known to be core loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike.
The defected lawmakers are 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); and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1).
Also included were 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).
Persecondnews recalls that since late 2023, Rivers State has been engulfed in a prolonged political rift between Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers loyal to his predecessor, Wike.
Amaewhule leads the faction seen as loyal to Wike, and the Assembly has 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 judgments at various times recognising either Amaewhule or Edison Ehie (now Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara) as Speaker.
On March 8 this year, President Tinubu had appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State after he declared a state of emergency in the state.
At the national level, the PDP has continued to grapple with internal conflicts 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.
Leave a comment