The official defection of 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC has been confirmed by the All Progressive Congress, APC.
In a chat with our correspondent, State APC Chairman Chief Tony Okocha revealed this, claiming to have seen the event firsthand during Friday’s plenary session.
He claims that the MPs’ decision was formally revealed on the Assembly floor by Speaker of the House Martin Amaewhule, one of the defectors.
He continued by saying that every member who was defecting had personally reiterated their decision to defect.
Okocha clarified that the MPs had complied with all constitutional procedures for defection, pointing out that they had properly registered as APC members in Rivers State, informed the PDP in their respective wards, and spoke with stakeholders.
Speaking, he said: “For today, at least I was invited. I was at the chamber, the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly and I witnessed the announcement by the Speaker who is also part of those that defected, 17 of them. 17 of them actually did, which of course include the Speaker.
“So he made the announcements and the individuals who opted to leave their former party, the PDP to join us in the APC, reaffirmed, reconfirmed one by each, one after the other.
“The thing was consummated. Central to this was the fact that they had notified their parties in their respective Wards.
“They had spoken with the Ward chairmen, they had spoken to stakeholders in their former party and they have also registered with the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.”
Okocha confirmed that the 27 MPs did not defect at the time in response to prior allegations of a supposed mass defection of the members in December 2023.
He said that shortly after taking over as the APC’s leader in Rivers State, he had personally welcomed the 27 lawmakers to bolster the party, but that the gesture was mistakenly seen as a formal defection.
“The Assembly members did not defect in the actual sense of the word. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered is clear on the issue.”
Okocha added that the APC is still trying to win over the lawmakers who haven’t defected.
He claims that the PDP in Rivers State is “in the ICU” and that many lawmakers would rather support a party that they perceive to be more stable and well-positioned nationally.
He said: “As far as we are concerned as a political party, we are still mounting pressure. PDP seems to be in the ICU as we speak.
“What President Bola Tinubu is doing for Nigeria and Nigerians cannot be swept under the carpet.
“He is working, and people want to identify with him by joining his party to help grow the country.
“I’m still talking with others that have not defected. Maybe if we’re able to convince them they’ll come. If we’re also not able to convince them, it is their decision to make.”
In response to the question of whether Governor Siminalayi Fubara may potentially join the APC, Okocha said that he did not see how any politician could be loyal to the PDP in the face of its current predicament.
He emphasized that the party’s unpredictability casts doubt on its capacity to win another election.
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