Four lawmakers from Rivers State in the House of Representatives have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The members are Manuchim Umezuruike, representing Port Harcourt 1 Federal Constituency; Boniface Emerengwa, representing Ikwerre/Emuoha Federal Constituency; Awake-Inombek Abiante, representing Andoni/Opobo Federal Constituency; and Boma Goodhead, representing Asari-Toru Federal Constituency.
The federal lawmakers who defected are said to be loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who also moved to the APC last week.
Announcing his defection earlier last week, Fubara said he decided to leave the PDP to support President Bola Tinubu of the APC, saying that he would have become a former governor without Tinubu’s support.
“The reason why we are still standing is because of that place, and the truth is, without Mr President, there wouldn’t be any His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara; it would have been the former governor.
“So, we have every reason because the truth, let nobody be fooled in this state, we have the people, we have the supporters. Our only thank-you to Mr President is to support him, and we cannot support the President in isolation;
“We cannot support the President if we don’t fully identify with him, not backyard support. So, we have taken that decision today since we have gotten the pass. Everyone here who had followed me, who had suffered with me, our decision today, this evening, we are moving to APC,” Fubara said.
The governor’s defection came four days after the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 17 others dumped the PDP for the APC on December 5.
The lawmakers had blamed their departure from the PDP on the crisis in the party.
Others who dumped the PDP were the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt 3), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt 2), Enemi George (Asari-Toru 2), and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1).
Also included were Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru 1), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru 2), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), Gerald Oforji (Oyigbo) and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).
