The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rebuked the 16 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, saying their action is akin to a “APC to APC defection.”
The party, which threatened legal action to regain the seats, noted that lawmakers had already taken a similar step in the past.
Calling them “political puppets” who have obstructed the wheel of democratic advancement in recent years, the PDP further noted that history would remember them as “enemies of democracy and those who mocked the legislature.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, in a formal reaction in Abuja on Saturday, stated: “We have seen on various media platforms news of the fresh defection of some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who, for the second time, announced their defection from our party.
“We remember that they had done it before and then retracted it. These are people who the world knows are doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod.
“Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have demonstrated, by their actions since assuming office, that they are political puppets and an obstacle in the wheels of democratic progress.
“They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and as those who mocked the legislature.” So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC.
“Accordingly, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended) to regain the mandate obtained under the banner of our party, which these people have now ignobly and surreptitiously shifted to another platform.
“We urge all members of the party in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusivity, justice and equity.”
The Speaker of the House, Honorable Martin Amaewhule, had defected along with 15 of his colleagues to the APC, citing the current leadership crisis in the party as the reason for their decision.
Addressing the House while defecting, Amaewhule said: “Distinguished colleagues, APC is my new party. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that I am given the party card of the All Progressives Congress in no time. “But as I speak today, I am a member of the All Progressives Congress. I am happy to be a member of APC so that we can join forces with Mr. President. Mr. President is doing a lot for this country.”
Although the PDP did not name the ‘paymaster’ and ‘demigod’ it referred to on Saturday, the 16 lawmakers are known loyalists to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, and supported him throughout the bitter fight between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the minister.
The political disagreement degenerated to the point that President Bola Tinubu had to intervene by declaring a state of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara and all democratic structures for six months. Wike, while reacting to the defection in Abuja, declared his support for the lawmakers, saying defection was permissible when a party could no longer hold together.
Wike stated: “It is unfortunate. I have always said that everyone has the right to choose. The party is completely divided into factions. And the requirement of the constitution is that when a party is divided into factions, members can leave.”
The minister added: “I am still in the PDP. You will see that not all of them have left. I think 16 or 17 out of 27 have left. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together.”
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