In a major political realignment shaking Rivers State, seventeen members of the State House of Assembly have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The dramatic move, which leaves the PDP with a significantly reduced presence in the 26-member assembly, has drawn a reaction from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Defection Announced on Assembly Floor
The lawmakers, led by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, made their declaration during a plenary session at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex. Amaewhule pointed to deep-seated internal divisions within the PDP as the primary catalyst for their collective decision to cross over to the APC.
The Speaker stated that the move was to align with President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a leader who "means well for the country." This mass exit drastically alters the balance of power in the assembly, leaving the PDP with an estimated nine or ten remaining members.
Wike's Constitutional but Unfortunate Verdict
Reacting to the development on Friday, December 5, 2025, Minister Nyesom Wike described the defection as unfortunate but acknowledged its constitutional validity. Wike, who spoke to journalists in Abuja after inspecting a bridge project, attributed the lawmakers' action to the persistent crisis rocking the national PDP.
"Well, it's unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, they are allowed to leave the party," Wike stated.
He emphasized that not all assembly members had decamped, noting that a core group of about ten lawmakers remained with the PDP. "We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together," he affirmed.
Wike Reaffirms PDP Loyalty and Calls for Party Unity
Despite the significant loss, the former Rivers State Governor firmly reiterated his commitment to the PDP. He used the opportunity to urge the party's national leadership to urgently reconcile its differences and put its house in order to prevent further erosion of its base.
"I'm still in the PDP. So those who have remained, we'll continue to work together. And I have said to the party, put your house in order. Because at the end of the day, if you don't put your house in order, it's the party that will lose," Wike warned.
He further called on the party to strengthen its remaining members in the Rivers Assembly to function as a credible and effective opposition within the state.
This mass defection is widely seen as a significant strategic move ahead of the 2027 general elections, signaling ongoing realignments in Rivers State's volatile political landscape. It follows a previous endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term by the state assembly, indicating a growing consolidation of support for the APC in the oil-rich state.
