Jonathan Nwokpor
The 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly’s factional Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, claim that they followed the law when they switched from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023.
Speaking at the APC’s Thanksgiving/dedication service at the Port Harcourt Polo Club in New GRA Port Harcourt, Amaewhule emphasized that their defection was necessary due to the PDP’s disintegration.
Addressing party members during the dedication service, Amaewhule stated, “Some days ago we defected inside the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly, in line with Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution as amended
“We made sure that we followed due process, we made sure that we did not do anything outside the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The Constitution has given room for people to defect. That is why in Section 109, Sub-section 1g, it allows serving legislators who want to defect, to do so provided there is a division in the party upon which they hold the House of Assembly.
“There is clearly a division in the PDP, so in line with that section, we defected to the All Progressives Congress.”
The factional Speaker pointed out that after observing President Bola Tinubu’s accomplishments and his style of governance, members of the State Assembly decided to switch to the APC.
“A lot of you may be surprised. I have not been in any other party.
“Most of us have not been in any other party but the PDP. But we made this strong decision and that decision stems from what the leader of this party in this country has started, which is the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Amaewhule claims that the explanation was required in response to rumors on social media that the 27 lawmakers’ defection was not in accordance with the law.
He insisted that his group is the legitimate group that makes up the State House of Assembly, stressing that they had the necessary numbers, in defiance of a court ruling prohibiting him from presenting himself as the Speaker of the House.
Amaewhule who is loyal to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, mocked the four state lawmakers led by Edison Ehie, calling their meetings “a meeting of four friends in a beer parlor.”
Due to disagreements within the PDP’s national leadership, 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected to the APC on Monday.
However, the current Speaker of the House, Edison Ehie, who is loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara declared their seats vacant.
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