Why We Defected — 27 Rivers Lawmakers

The embattled 27 Rivers lawmakers have revealed that their switch from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

Speaking at a gathering of APC stakeholders in Port Harcourt, the factional Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, explained the rationale behind their mass defection.

Amaewhule emphasised that their move adhered to Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, ensuring strict compliance with due process.

He stated, “We made sure we did not do anything outside the 1999 Constitution… Section 109 (1g) allows serving legislators who want to defect to do so with a proviso that there is a division in the party. There is clearly a division in the PDP, so in line with this section we defected to APC.”

He reiterated that the PDP showed clear indications of division, prompting their shift to APC in accordance with the stipulations of the Constitution.

Amaewhule highlighted that they provided all necessary evidence of the party division as required by the Constitution to legitimise their defection. He underscored President Tinubu’s commitments to address federal infrastructure in Rivers State, citing the swift commencement of the Port Harcourt-Onne East West Road reconstruction as a testament to this.

Moreover, Amaewhule pointed out Tinubu’s record of federal appointments for Rivers residents, irrespective of their political affiliations, as another reason for their move to APC. He expressed confidence that Tinubu’s agenda would bolster the country’s economy, compelling their decision to abandon the PDP and back the president’s initiatives.

“We analysed the president’s quick start of his assurance when he started with the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Onne East West Road.

“In no time, the road will become accessible to Port Harcourt Refinery, Onne Seaport, Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemist Limited and a smooth ride to all the local governments connected to these areas,” he said.

Amaewhule also cited the consistent federal appointments to Rivers people by Tinubu, irrespective of their parties, as their other reason for defecting to APC.

He said that Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda would expand the country’s economy, hence they decided to dump PDP and support the president to achieve the agenda.

He accused the PDP of not condemning the demolition of the Assembly complex and regretted the alleged non-release of funding to the assembly by Gov. Siminialayi Fubara.

He said that the non-release of funds to the house was against the law.

In a remark, the National Chairman of APC, Dr Abudulahi Ganduje, said that the president and National Working Committee (NWC) of the party recognised that the lawmakers had become APC members and respected their decision to join the party to move the country forward.

Ganduje, represented by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana, said that Amaewhule, his Deputy and other PDP decampees were formally invited to join APC.

He assured them that the party’s NWC had taken a drastic decision to resolve the problem of Rivers and unite the members and ensure that APC becomes one in the state.

He further said that the NWC had given to the state Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tony Okocha, the responsibility to start the reconciliation process and carry every member along.

He urged the aggrieved members not to go to court but to bring their complaints to the National Secretary through the state chairman.

He assured the members that they would not lose their positions and that those who lost theirs would get better positions as long as they remained in the party.

In a speech, Okocha said that the essence of the stakeholders’ meeting was to forge ahead for greater achievements by the party.

“We will not pull over the anger of what has happened. We are here to plan for the future, which is the essence of this meeting,” he said.

Okocha said that the party under his watch would be built on a robust and solid foundation, strong in every unit and ward.

He assured the lawmakers that the party would strongly support them in their activities. (NAN)