Four members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gatekeepers News reports that the lawmakers are Manuchim Umezuruike (Port Harcourt I Federal Constituency), Boniface Emerengwa (Ikwerre/Emuoha), Awake-Inombek Abiante (Andoni/Opobo), and Boma Goodhead (Asari-Toru).
The defecting lawmakers are reportedly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who also announced his defection from the PDP to the APC last week.
Explaining his decision to leave the PDP, Governor Fubara said his move was aimed at supporting President Bola Tinubu, whom he credited for his political survival.
“The reason why we are still standing is because of that place, and the truth is, without Mr President, there wouldn’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara; it would have been the former governor,” Fubara said.
He added that genuine support for the President required full political alignment.
“So, we have every reason because the truth, let nobody be fooled in this state, we have the people, we have the supporters. Our only thank-you to Mr President is to support him, and we cannot support the President in isolation.
“We cannot support the President if we don’t fully identify with him, not backyard support. So, we have taken that decision today since we have gotten the pass. Everyone here who had followed me, who had suffered with me, our decision today, this evening, we are moving to APC,” the governor stated.
Fubara’s defection came four days after the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 17 other lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC on December 5, citing internal crisis within the party.
Those who left the PDP included the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt III), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt II), Enemi George (Asari-Toru II), and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt I).
Others are Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru I), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru II), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), Gerald Oforji (Oyigbo) and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).
The wave of defections has further deepened the political realignment in Rivers State amid the lingering crisis within the PDP.
