The raging political melodrama in Rivers State, yesterday, took a new twist, as 27 members of the House of Assembly elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, leading to complaints and jubilation among the parties.
Led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the 27 legislators, who are loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, accessed the Assembly Complex as early as 7am where they announced their decision during a sitting.
The Rivers State Local Government Amendment bill 2023 also passed second reading during the sitting.
Also, some members of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and APC in Ahoada West defected to the PDP and declared support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The defection of the lawmakers elicited jubilation in the APC as the PDP, Labour Party, LP, and groups kicked and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh election in the affected 27 Rivers State constituencies, which they said had become “vacant.”
Contacted on the issue, a top INEC official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “The issue in Rivers happened today (Monday) and I cannot comment on it. I am sure very soon, the commission will meet and make its position known to the public.”
Meanwhile, Elder Statesman, Edwin Clark, has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the Rivers crisis to avert anarchy, saying “Rivers is very important to the stability of the Niger Delta and overall national economy; and any breakdown of law and order there will not be in the overall interest of all.”
Defectors are real democrats —APC
Speaking on the issue at a press conference in Port Harcourt, the Caretaker Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, expressed delight and desecribed the defectors as real democrats.
He said: “Today, we received 27 former members of the PDP into the APC, Rivers State. We commend the defectors. If the governor of the state has decided to give vent to four persons over 27, how does that go? We have gone pass the era of 16 being above 19.”
Okocha, who is also the Rivers State representative on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, continued: “There is no government in Rivers State. This government was built on the plank of continuity. Nothing is happening in the state. People are hungry. They are angry. There has to be checks and balances. There will be a check to the government now. We commend the defectors for this decision they have taken. They are real democrats.”
Credit: Vanguard News Nigeria