Four members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State have defected from their respective political parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC), further strengthening the ruling party’s numbers in the lower chamber.
The lawmakers are Awaji Inombek (PDP), Boma Goodhead (PDP), Manuchim Umezurike (LP) and Boniface Emerengwa (PDP).
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Their defections were announced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary on Thursday, following the reading of separate letters from the affected lawmakers.
In their letters to the House, the lawmakers attributed their decision to what they described as deepening internal crises, leadership disputes and irreconcilable divisions within their former parties.
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Link to political realignment in Rivers
The development follows the recent defection of Governor Siminalayi Fubara himself to the APC, signalling a coordinated move by his loyalists to align with his new political trajectory.
It reflects growing political realignment in Rivers State, as lawmakers loyal to the governor reposition themselves within the ruling party ahead of future elections.
While Mr Fubara, a former PDP governor, recently joined the APC amid long-standing disputes with Minister of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over the control of PDP structure in Rivers. The move has triggered a wave of political realignment.
The loss of four federal lawmakers is a significant blow to the PDP in Rivers State and at the national level, which has suffered major blows of defection across many states. The development has weakened its legislative presence of the PDP at the National Assembly and highlighting fractures within the party.
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For the APC, the defections not only increase its numerical strength in the House of Representatives but also bolster its strategic influence in Rivers, a state traditionally dominated by the PDP.
The defections also underscore a broader trend of lawmakers abandoning opposition parties for the APC, which has seen its strength in the House swell in recent months.
The ruling party has consistently welcomed defectors as evidence of growing confidence in its leadership, while opposition parties accuse the APC of exploiting internal crises to weaken rivals.
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