The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a huge implosion on Monday.
Twenty-seven PDP members of the House of Assembly have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors blamed their decision on the party’s long-running leadership turmoil.
They said that their defection had nothing to do with the issue between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
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The MPs, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, left the PDP in plenary, chastising Governor Siminalayi Fubara for refusing to hand over former Majority Leader Edison Ehie and others to police for an inquiry into their alleged involvement in the arson on the House of Assembly premises.
Ehie is leading a group of four members of the House of Assembly.
The Rivers Assembly is made up of 32 members. One members died recently.
In their letters to the Speaker, the lawmakers also attributed their defection to the division triggered by the tussle for the position of the National Secretary of the party.
They complained that the conflicts has made communications channel hazy and difficult.
The letter was read on the floor of the House.
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With the defection, PDP now has only five members in the Assembly.
The lawmakers sang the familiar partisan anthem:” On-your-mandate we shall stand,” waving the APC flags.
Many of them shouted “Jagaban” throughout the process as they posed for a group photograph, before they left the complex.
According to the lawmakers, the confusion surrounding the position of the National Secretary has led to a plethora of court cases instituted by party members.
They accused Fubara of shielding suspected arsonists who attempted to set the Assembly ablaze.
In a motion sponsored by 26 lawmakers and moved by Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuwa Constituency), they condemned the seizure of funds for the management of the Assembly.
The lawmakers condemned the brazen and unlawful attack on them and the Assembly as an institution.
According to them, the governor should release funds meant for the management of the Assembly for November.
They threatened to decline requests from Fubara for approvals, adding that his actions are no longer in tandem with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the laws of the state.
The lawmakers later deliberated on the Rivers State Local Government Law (Amendment) Bill 2023, which was at its Second Reading.
The bill was sponsored by the Leader of the House and member representing Akuku Toru Constituency 1, Majority Jack.
Members unanimously declared that some sections of the local government law were repugnant and needed to be amended to ensure that elected local government officials were not at the mercy of any individual.
Amaewhule sent the bill to the House Committee on Local Government to conduct a public hearing and make further inputs within two weeks.
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