Rivers State House of Reps members defect to APC
Four members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), further reshaping the political landscape of the oil-rich South-South state. The lawmakers, all previously elected under opposition party platforms, formally announced their switch in allegiance during plenary at the National Assembly this week, with the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, reading their letters of defection on the floor. The four legislators are Manuchim Umezuruike, representing Port Harcourt I Federal Constituency (who moved from the Labour Party), and Boniface Emerengwa (Ikwerre/Emuoha), Awake-Inombek Abiante (Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro), and Boma Goodhead (Asari-Toru/ Akuku-Toru), who all decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.
The defections come after Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s own move to the APC last week, signalling a consolidation of political support for the ruling party both at the state and federal levels. The lawmakers cited internal disagreements and prolonged crisis within their former parties, particularly the PDP, as reasons for their decision to join the APC.
Political analysts say the defections are part of a broader trend of realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, reducing the strength of opposition parties like the PDP and the Labour Party in the National Assembly while bolstering the APC’s majority. Critics argue that such shifts weaken democratic competition, while supporters claim they foster unity with the federal government’s agenda.
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