The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State is scratching its head after 27 of its 31 members in the state House of Assembly abruptly switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday. Citing internal divisions within the PDP, the lawmakers announced their defection during a plenary session, leaving the party scrambling for answers.
Tambari Sydney Gbara, the PDP’s spokesperson in the state, admitted in an interview with The Sun that the party is “not aware of the reasons” behind the mass exodus. He described the defections as a “purely legislative issue,” implying that the party leadership was not directly involved in the decision-making process.
However, Gbara indicated that the PDP is not giving up hope on their wayward members. “We are still reaching out to the defected lawmakers to see if they could rescind their decisions,” he said, stressing the party’s commitment to reconciliation.
Meanwhile, the demolition of the House of Assembly complex by Governor Siminalayi Fubara has further complicated the situation. Gbara clarified that the demolition is a “purely executive matter,” distinct from the defections and driven by separate concerns.
The sudden shift in political allegiances has left the Rivers State political landscape in turmoil. While the PDP seeks to understand the motivations behind the defections and mend fences with its departed members, the APC welcomes its new recruits with open arms, hoping to leverage the boost in representation for its own agenda. The coming days and weeks will likely see further developments in this unfolding political drama.
