Six members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), dealing another significant blow to the opposition party in the state.
The lawmakers who crossed over to the APC are Robinson Dekor, Solomon Bob, Cyril Hart, Victor Obuzor, Blessing Amadi and Felix Nwaeke. Their defection was announced on Tuesday during plenary at the House of Representatives in Abuja.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, read the letters submitted by the lawmakers, in which they cited deepening internal divisions and an unresolved political crisis within the PDP as the primary reasons for their decision to leave the party.
According to the letters, the prolonged leadership and factional disputes within the PDP had made it increasingly difficult for them to effectively pursue their political goals and represent their constituents.
In their separate statements, the defecting lawmakers expressed confidence in the leadership of the APC and pledged their loyalty to the party’s agenda at the federal level. They specifically vowed to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which they described as a framework capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges.
The latest defections have drastically reduced the strength of the PDP in the Rivers State caucus of the House of Representatives. Prior to this development, the party held 12 seats from the state. With the exit of the six lawmakers, the number of PDP representatives has now fallen to just two.
This development follows a similar wave of defections last week, when three Rivers lawmakers—Boniface Emerengwa, Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Boma Goodhead—also left the PDP for the APC. The successive exits point to a steady erosion of the PDP’s legislative presence in one of its traditional strongholds.
At present, the only remaining PDP lawmakers representing Rivers State in the House are the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and Kelechi Nwogu. Their continued presence underscores the sharp contrast between the party’s former dominance in the state and its current weakened position at the national assembly.
Political observers say the defections may have wider implications for the balance of power in the House of Representatives, strengthening the APC’s majority while raising questions about the PDP’s ability to manage internal disputes and retain key members ahead of future elections.
More details are expected to emerge as reactions continue to trail the lawmakers’ decision.
