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Former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Kola Ologbodiyan believes the defection of 27 lawmakers in Rivers State will not affect the party.
The lingering political drama in Rivers State took a twist on Monday, December 11, 2023, when some members of the state’s House of Assembly, who were elected on the platform of the PDP, announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rivers is one of the states that are believed to be traditionally PDP states.
The defection of 27 out of 32 members of the state’s assembly underscores the ongoing political battle between the Governor of the State, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who despite his PDP membership accepted a ministerial appointment from the ruling party.
But while many presume the defection of the lawmakers may cause a fresh political crisis in the state, Ologbodiyan believes their defection can’t destabilise the PDP in the state.
In a tweet on Monday, the party chieftain said the PDP had overcome more dangerous challenges, adding that the people are the power of the party.
He tweeted, “Let me drop this here. The situation in Rivers State, to say the least, is very depressing. But @OfficialPDPNig has weathered more dangerous storms, steadied survived. Whichever way the Rivers situation plays out, PDP will remain standing because its oxygen is the power of the people.”
Meanwhile, over the weekend, members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers dumped their parties for the PDP.
The defectors, who were led by chieftains of their parties announced their loyalty to Governor Fubara.