Why Rivers Speaker, Amaewhule, 15 Other Lawmakers Dumped PDP for APC

Martin Amaewhule, Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He announced the decision on Friday in the state’s House of Assembly during a plenary session.

Amaewhule, as reporte by The Niche, defected from the ruling party in the state to the APC alongside 15 other PDP members of the House.

While justifying their decision, the Speaker said the defection is due to a clear division in the PDP.

In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, suspending Governor Sim Fubara and his Deputy, alongside members of the State Assembly.

He, however, lifted the suspension six months later in September.