By Chika Okafor, Port Harcourt
Rivers State was thrown into fresh political turmoil on Thursday after 16 members of the State House of Assembly—led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule—announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The dramatic shift, made during a tense plenary session in Port Harcourt, has upended the balance of power in the 32-member House and reignited impeachment speculation around Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Citing Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, Amaewhule declared that “irreconcilable divisions” within the PDP had made continued membership impossible. Deputies including Dumle Maol, House Leader Major Jack, Linda Stewart, Azeru Opara and others stood beside him as he announced the switch. With 12 seats still vacant from earlier legal and political disputes, the defection positions the APC-aligned bloc—largely loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike—at a commanding 16–4 advantage over Fubara’s loyalists.
The development marks the second major defection wave led by the Amaewhule faction, deepening the collapse of the PDP’s once unshakable hold on Rivers State. Social media reaction was polarized, with some celebrating the move as “political realignment” and others condemning it as “Wike’s last desperate play.”
WIKE’S WANING INFLUENCE IN ABUJA? DEFECTORS MOVE SEEN AS BID TO REGAIN TINUBU’S FAVOR
Political watchers say the defections underscore a complex decline in Wike’s influence within President Bola Tinubu’s inner circle. Multiple insider accounts suggest the former Rivers governor—originally tapped as Tinubu’s South-South political enforcer—has seen his standing erode amid controversies, internal APC politics, and growing grassroots loyalty to Fubara.
A Naija247news exclusive this week described Wike’s political grip as “slipping,” claiming the defection was orchestrated to present Tinubu with a renewed bargaining chip: control of the Rivers Assembly. Former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido had predicted as far back as August that Tinubu would “discard Wike once consolidation is complete.”
Wike has also faced sharp public criticism—from FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe’s accusations of impunity to former APC spokesman Timi Frank’s calls for his suspension. The minister drew national attention earlier in August when reports emerged of a luxury Florida property linked to his family.
With Tinubu’s March 2025 state of emergency temporarily restoring Wike’s leverage—while criticizing Fubara—the fragile peace deal unravelled after emergency rule was lifted in September. This week’s defections signal the collapse of that accord.
FUBARA’S CALCULATED REVOLT: PREPARING FOR AN ADC SWITCH TO UPEND 2027 “ONE-TERM” AGREEMENT
Governor Fubara, meanwhile, is moving to consolidate his independence. Multiple sources confirm he is accelerating consultations to defect from the PDP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move aimed at breaking a discreet “one-term” pact allegedly struck with Wike and Tinubu during June 2025 negotiations to end the state of emergency.
According to insiders who briefed TheCable, the deal required Fubara to abandon any 2027 re-election bid in exchange for reinstatement into office and preservation of Wike’s dominance over local governments. But events since September have emboldened Fubara. On December 3, he announced plans to hire 10,000 workers based on “state needs, not politics,” a not-so-subtle swipe at his predecessors.
While his spokesman Sydney Gbara dismissed earlier ADC rumors as “inaccurate,” the political tide has shifted. Several of Fubara’s allies have reportedly aligned with former Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s ADC presidential network—raising the possibility of a new power bloc emerging for 2027.
APC strategist Bala Ibrahim publicly invited Fubara in September to join the APC, describing it as “the natural home” for his second-term ambition. But sources insist the governor prefers the ADC as a neutral platform, free from Wike’s shadow.
Analysts warn that Fubara’s move could trigger legislative paralysis, renewed budget hostilities, and insecurity around critical oil infrastructure.
TINUBU’S CAREFULLY CRAFTED TRUCE COLLAPSES — AND RIVERS BECOMES THE FIRST BIG BATTLEFIELD OF 2027
President Tinubu’s controversial declaration of emergency rule in March—challenged in over 40 lawsuits—momentarily suppressed tensions. But Thursday’s defections confirm that the truce was temporary, with neither Wike nor Fubara willing to concede ahead of the 2027 cycle.
The PDP has condemned the lawmakers’ exit and threatened sanctions, while the APC has welcomed the development as “a step toward stability.” Wike has maintained public silence since the announcement.
Across Rivers State’s political landscape, however, the fault lines are clear:
Wike, once the undisputed kingmaker, is losing grip.
Fubara, once the political son, is emerging as a rival.
And the ADC may become the unexpected third force.
The question now is whether these defections will ignite a fresh impeachment bid or compel Tinubu to intervene once again. For many in Port Harcourt, it feels like Act II of a long and unpredictable power struggle—with 2027 looming like a storm.
