APC strength rises in Senate, House
The political landscape in Rivers State took a fresh turn on Tuesday as two senators and six members of the House of Representatives defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The senators are Allwell Onyesoh, who represents Rivers East Senatorial District, and Barinada Mpigi of Rivers South-East.
Also defecting were six members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, who announced their decision separately at the Green Chamber, citing similar reasons of internal disarray within the PDP.
The defections in the Senate were formally announced during plenary after the upper chamber suspended its rules to allow the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, and other party leaders into the chamber to witness the development.
Both senators, widely regarded as loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said their decision was informed by persistent and unresolved internal divisions within the PDP.
With the latest defections, the APC further consolidated its dominance in the Senate, raising its numerical strength to 78 senators and securing a comfortable majority in the chamber.
The lawmakers’ exit from the PDP adds to the swelling number of political heavyweights aligning with the ruling party amid ongoing political realignments in Rivers State.
Observers note that the development followed recent political moves by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who has reportedly strengthened ties with the APC, signalling a possible recalibration of political forces in the oil-producing state.
Despite criticisms trailing the wave of defections and fears that Nigeria could slide into a one-party state, the Senate leadership maintained that the country’s democracy remains vibrant.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele dismissed the concerns, insisting that the growing number of lawmakers joining the APC would not weaken democratic pluralism.
According to him, the ruling party remains a responsible stakeholder in the nation’s democratic process and is committed to collaborating with minority parties in the interest of national development.
Bamidele added that the APC was focused on ensuring that democratic governance delivers tangible benefits to Nigerians, particularly in areas such as food security and healthcare delivery.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the influx of lawmakers into the APC placed a greater responsibility on the party to uphold internal democracy.
Akpabio assured that all members of the party would be treated fairly and given equal opportunities to participate and grow, stressing that justice and inclusiveness were essential for national cohesion.
He expressed sympathy for the opposition parties and urged them to urgently address their internal challenges to remain competitive within Nigeria’s democratic system.
