In a surprising turn of events, two out of the 27 lawmakers from the Rivers House of Assembly who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday have rescinded their decision. Tonye Adoki, representing Port Harcourt Constituency II, and Linda Somiari Stewart, representing Okrika Constituency, have officially returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and issued apologies to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Joseph Johnson, confirmed these developments and indicated that several other defected members are actively lobbying to reverse their defection. Johnson emphasized the need for peace and unity in Rivers State and assured that the Fubara administration would take measures to foster stability.
Observers note that many of the lawmakers might have hastily followed directives without fully understanding the implications of their actions. The reconsideration appears to be prompted by legal and political arguments, with critics contending that the lawmakers’ defection lacked a valid basis.
Lawyers and political analysts in the state have argued that the lawmakers’ claims of party factionalism or crisis within the PDP are unfounded. Professor Richard Wokocha, a constitutional lawyer and lecturer at the Rivers State University, asserted that, according to the law, only the four lawmakers who remained in the PDP are legitimate members of the State Assembly. He highlighted that the defection has opened a new chapter in the state’s political landscape, potentially contributing to further crises.
