The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking one of the most significant political realignments in the state this year.
Amaewhule announced his defection on Friday alongside 15 other lawmakers, according to Daily Post.
He attributed the decision to deepening internal crises within the PDP, which he said made continued membership untenable.
The mass defection is expected to shift the political balance of the Rivers Assembly, strengthening the APC’s influence and further weakening the PDP’s grip on legislative affairs.
The development comes months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a political state of emergency in Rivers State in March, leading to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly. That intervention had heightened political tensions in the state and widened divisions within the PDP.
Political analysts say Friday’s defection could reshape the state’s political landscape as the APC positions itself for stronger control ahead of future electoral contests.
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