By Sandra Ugwu 

Sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.

The announcement was made during plenary on Friday, where Amaewhule cited what he called a “division” within the PDP as the basis for their defection. He told the House that he had already informed his ward chairman of his resignation from the PDP and completed his move to the APC.

“Distinguished colleagues, APC is my new party. I will do everything necessary to ensure that my party card is issued to me without delay,” the Speaker declared. “I am happy to be a member of the APC so that we can join forces with Mr President. Mr President is doing so much for this country.”

Amaewhule commended President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, saying the President “means well for Nigeria’’ and has demonstrated “love for Rivers State.”

He stressed that supporting the President from within the APC is now the priority of the defecting lawmakers, adding that the internal conflicts within the PDP made their continued membership impossible.

Rivers State has faced a prolonged political crisis since late 2023, stemming from tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers aligned with former governor Nyesom Wike. Amaewhule heads the faction loyal to Wike and has been at the centre of major legislative actions, including a failed impeachment attempt on the governor.

The crisis has also triggered conflicting court decisions on which faction constitutes the legally recognised Assembly, with different rulings at various times affirming either Amaewhule or Edison Ehie - now Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara as Speaker.

The lawmakers’ claim of “division” within the PDP reflects broader, unresolved internal disputes at the national level, particularly long-running disagreements involving Wike and the party leadership.