Six members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), further deepening the political realignment in the state.
The lawmakers are Dumnamene Dekor (Khana/Gokana), Solomon Bob (Abua/Odual and Ahoada East), Hart Cyril (Degema/Bonny), Victor Obuzor (Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni), Blessing Amadi (Port Harcourt II), and Felix Nweke (Eleme/Oyigbo/Tai).
Their defection was formally announced during plenary on Tuesday after a joint letter from the lawmakers was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
In the letter, the defectors attributed their decision to what they described as the unresolved and protracted leadership crisis within the PDP, which they said had made it increasingly difficult for them to function effectively as members of the opposition party.
The lawmakers explained that after extensive consultations, they resolved that joining the APC would provide a more stable and effective platform to represent their constituents.
They noted that the ruling party, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, offers what they described as a clearer governance direction and opportunities to deliver democratic dividends.
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The defectors, who are widely regarded as loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the move was taken in consultation with their constituents and key political stakeholders in their respective federal constituencies.
The latest defections come barely two weeks after Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, announced his defection from the PDP to the APC on December 5, 2025. The development had already sent shockwaves through the state’s political landscape.
It also follows the earlier defection of 15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, who crossed over to the APC about a week before the governor’s defection.
Political analysts say the growing wave of defections from the PDP to the APC in Rivers State signals a significant shift ahead of future electoral contests, with implications for party dominance and alignment in the oil-rich state.