Two senators and six members of the House of Representatives have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.
In the Senate, those who defected are Senator Allwell Onyesoh, who represents Rivers East, and Senator Barinada Mpigi, of Rivers South-East.
The announcement was made during plenary, with the Senate suspending its rules to allow the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, and other party executives into the chamber to witness the defection.
Both senators, who are considered loyalists of the FCT Minister – the immediate past governor of Rivers State – Nyesom Wike, said their decision was informed by deep and unresolved internal divisions within the PDP.
Meanwhile, six members of the House of Representatives from the oil-rich state, loyal to Wike, joined the APC, quitting the PDP.
They are Dumnamere Robinson Dekor, a member representing Khana/Gokana federal constituency (ex-deputy speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly).
Others are Solomon Bob of Abua/Odual and Ahoada East Federal Constituency; Hart Cyril, Degema/Bonny federal constituency, and Victor Obuzor, Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni federal constituency (Chair of the Committee of Civil Societies).
The rest are Blessing Amadi, who is representing Port Harcourt II federal constituency, and Eleme/Oyigbo/Tai federal constituency’s Felix Nweke.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said that with the defections, the APC must work to ensure internal democracy.
Akpabio said that anyone who joins the party will be allowed to participate and grow fairly. He underscored the importance of justice and inclusiveness, noting that the ultimate goal is for national policies to succeed for the benefit of Nigerians.
The Senate President expressed sympathy for the opposition, urging them to address their internal challenges.
