The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized the defection of 17 Rivers State lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress, describing it as foolish and a betrayal that occurred at a vital time for the state’s democracy.
In an interview with PUNCH, PDP National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong stated that the lawmakers showed themselves as “enemies of democracy by abandoning the platform through which they were elected.”
He accused them of undermining the Rivers people’s mandate and destabilizing the legislature for partisan reasons.
Seventeen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC during a plenary on Friday, citing a “division” inside the PDP.
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 APC is issued to me in no time. But as I speak today, I am a member of the APC. 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.
“As of today, even the national headquarters of the PDP is not functioning as a result of this division. There are two factions, and the constitution is clear that when there is a division in any political party, when the party is divided, members, including Assembly members who no longer have hope, can leave the party without any consequences.
“That is why I had to make this clear, that the foundation for this defection is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
However, Ememobong stated that the development was unsurprising, noting that they just returned to APC.
He stated, “This is a case of re-defection; they had previously defected and then later denied it. The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made a mockery of the legislature.
“So, the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC.”
At the Friday plenary, the House raised worry about Fubara’s delay in submitting the list of commissioner nominations for screening, with the Speaker calling it a violation of the constitution. The House adjourned plenary to January 26th, 2026.
Martins Wachukwu, the Speaker’s media aide, later issued a statement reaffirming the House’s resolve to use the auditorium of the parliamentary quarters as its holy chamber.
The statement was titled “Rivers Assembly Reaffirms Resolution on the Adoption of Assembly Quarters Auditorium as Chamber,” with a subtitle, “As 17 Members of the House Defect to the APC.”
“At its 39th Legislative Sitting of the 3rd Session of the Tenth Assembly, the Rivers State House of Assembly, on Friday, through a motion, reaffirmed its earlier resolution made on the 14th of December, 2023, which adopted the auditorium at the State House of Assembly quarters as its hallowed chamber to conduct legislative business,” it stated.
Moving the motion for reaffirmation, Deputy Majority Leader of the House Linda Somiari-Stewart stated that Section 101 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution empowers the House to regulate its own procedures, including where to hold its sittings, in order to ensure the state’s good governance.
He urged the House to decide, among other things, the reaffirmation of the current hallowed Chamber located in the Assembly quarters as the legal and lawful Chamber for the conduct of legislative activity throughout the duration of the Tenth Assembly of the State.
According to the statement, members expressed their support for the proposal and encouraged the House to direct the Clerk to continue providing all administrative support to the House in the present sacred Chamber.
Speaking on the motion, Amaewhule remarked that what makes an Assembly is the people, not the building, and urged the relevant security services to maintain providing protection for the Assembly quarters so that the House can carry out its constitutional duties.
The statement added, “Still on Friday, 17 members of the House who were elected into the House under the umbrella of the Peoples’ Democratic Party defected to the APC.
“The reason given for the defection, as individually affirmed, was predicated on the division in the party at the national level, which has made the future of the party hazy and nebulous.”
“Those who defected to the All Progressives Congress include the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule; the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol; the Majority Leader, Hon. Major Jack; the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Linda Somiari-Stewart; the Chief Whip, Hon. Frankline Nwabuchi; and the Deputy Whip, Hon. Ofiks Kabang. Others are Hon. Peter Abbey, Hon. Smart Adoki, Hon. Igwe Aforji, Hon. Arnold Davids, Hon. Enemi George, Hon. Tekenari Granville, Hon. Christian Nwankwo, Hon. Gerald Oforji, Hon. Azeru Opara, Hon. Lolo Opuende, and Hon. Solomon Wami.”
