Rivers Speaker, plus 15 oda Assembly members defect to APC

Speaker of di Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, don defect go di All Progressives Congress (APC).

Amaewhule plus di oda 15 members of di assembly announce dia defection from di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) go di APC for di floor of di house on Friday, 5 December.

Di speaker cite wetin e describe as "division" within di PDP as di reason for dia defection.

"Distinguished colleagues, very happily, make I announce say your speaker don decide and don indeed write to my ward chairman of my decision to comot di PDP. APC na my new party.

"I go do all I need to do to ensure say dem give me di party card of di APC quickly. But as we speak today, I be member of di APC, so dat we go fit join forces wit Mr. President. E dey do so much for dis kontri," Amaewhule tok.

Dia defection dey come few days afta di 32-member Rivers assembly bin pass vote of confidence on President Bola Tinubu as dem beg di Nigerian leader to seek re-election.

Di oda lawmakers wey dump di PDP na di;

Defected Rivers lawmakers dey free to leave PDP - Wike

Di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, tok say di 16 members of di Rivers State House of Assembly wey defect go di APC dey free to di PDP.

E say im camp go continue to work wit di remaining lawmakers wey still dey loyal to di party.

Wike give dis informate on Friday as e dey follow tori pipo tok for di kontri capital, Abuja.

Di FCT minister wey describe di development as "unfortunate," tok say na di party internal crisis make di lawmakers dump di party.

"Di party dey fully factionalised and di requirement of di Constitution na say wen party dey factionalised, members dey allowed to comot di party.

E add say no be all di lawmakers defect, about 10 still remain for di PDP and dem go continue to dey work togeda.

Di former Rivers govnor also insist say im still dey PDP, even though di party don expel am comot from di PDP.

"I still dey PDP, so for dos wey remain, we go continue to continue to work togeda," e add.

Dis no be di first time wey lawmakers for Rivers State House of Assembly go defect go di ruling party.

For December 2023, 27 lawmakers of di assembly bin defect from di PDP go APC during di 87th legislative sitting for di floor of di house.

According to di individual letters di lawmakers write to di Speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule wey dem read on di floor of di house, dem say di reason for di defection na sake of di division wey dey di party, wey dey in regards to di tussle for di position of di National Secretary of di PDP.

Dem say di confusion wey surround dis position don generate many court cases and e don sharply divide di party, therefore, dem no fit continue to dey for dat kain political party.

Since 1999, di PDP bin hold di oil rich state tight, until one long crisis rock di state, wey pitch di lawmakers against di govnor Siminalayi Fubara.

Di crisis bin lead to di partial demolition of di State Assembly complex by forces wey allegedly dey loyal to Oga Fubara, plus attempt bin dey by lawmakers wey dey loyal to di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to impeach di govnor.

As di political crisis for di state dey ginger, President Bola Tinubu bin declare six month state of emergency for di state on 18 March. E suspend govnor Fubara and im deputy, Ngozi Odu, plus di lawmakers.

Tinubu also appoint Vice Admiral Ibok Ete (retd.) as di administrator.

As di emergency rule expire on 17 September, di president reinstate Fubara, im deputy and di lawmakers.

Di crisis for di PDP begin since di outcome of di 2023 presidential election.

How di political kassala start?

Rivers state house of assembly wahala bin start for 2023 afta Govnor Sim Fubara and im political godfather wey be di immediate past Govnor, Nyesom Wike bin get wahala. E no dey clear exactly wetin cause dia fight.

But majority of di members of di Rivers State Assembly wey dey loyal to Wike bin join body to fight Fubara, and dem even make attempt to impeach am from office.

Di matter even lead to explosion for di Assembly complex and di demolition of part of di complex by di govnor.

Eventually, di Wike loyalists announce say dem don comot from PDP and dem don join APC, so Fubara insist say dia seats for di assembly don dey vacant based on wetin constitution tok. Sometin wey di lawmakers don deny.

Di constitution tok say elected pesin wey leave im party go also vacate di position wey e win thru dat party, unless if clear division dey for di party.

Govnor Fubara and im faction argue say no division dey for PDP wey suppose cause di oda lawmakers to comot, so dia seats don automatically dey vacant.

Di govnor match im threats wit action wen e present di 2024 budget to only four members of di State Assembly led by Edison Ehie as Speaker dat time.

Fubara later appoint Edison Ehie as im Chief of Staff, and Victor Oko Jumbo bicom di new Speaker.