The political landscape in Rivers State shifted on Tuesday as two senators and six members of the House of Representatives formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The senators are Allwell Onyesoh (Rivers East) and Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South-East). Their defection was announced during plenary, with the Senate suspending its rules to admit the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, and other party officials into the chamber to witness the development.
Both lawmakers, regarded as loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said their decision was driven by deep-seated and unresolved internal crises within the PDP.
With the latest defections, the APC has further strengthened its grip on the Senate, raising its membership to 78 senators and consolidating a comfortable majority in the upper legislative chamber.
The development adds to the growing list of high-profile defections to the APC in Rivers State. Governor Siminalayi Fubara had earlier aligned with the ruling party, further reshaping the state’s political configuration.
Despite criticisms and concerns that the wave of defections could weaken Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, Senate leaders insist that the country remains firmly democratic.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele dismissed fears of a drift toward a one-party state, saying the APC remains a responsible stakeholder committed to democratic values. He assured members of minority parties of continued cooperation in the national interest.
According to Bamidele, the ruling party is focused on delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians, including improved food security and enhanced healthcare services.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the APC must uphold internal democracy in light of the new entrants. He assured defectors of equal opportunities within the party, stressing the importance of fairness, justice, and inclusiveness.
Akpabio also expressed sympathy for opposition parties, urging them to resolve their internal challenges to remain competitive.
Six Rivers reps defect to APC
Meanwhile, six members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State also defected from the PDP to the APC.
The lawmakers are Dumnamene Robinson Dekor (Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency), a former deputy speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly; Solomon Bob (Abua/Odual and Ahoada East); Hart Cyril (Degema/Bonny); Victor Obuzor (Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni), chairman of the House Committee on Civil Societies; Blessing Amadi (Port Harcourt II); and Felix Nweke (Eleme/Oyigbo/Tai).
The defectors are widely seen as political allies of Wike, further underscoring the shifting allegiances in Rivers State.
