25 PDP Lawmakers Defect To APC In Rivers State
* Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi
Twenty-five members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, 16 July, 2014, joined Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers officially declared their defection to the APC during a session in the assembly and House Leader, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers, said they had ceased to be members of the PDP.
Lloyd also added that further correspondence to them should bear the APC.
While speaking during the session, Lloyd said: “The 25 pro-Amaechi lawmakers have asked me to declare our formal defection to All Progressives Congress (APC). Henceforth, 25 of us should be referred to as All Progressives Congress members. We are telling the world today that we are all members of APC.”
Speaker of the house, Hon. Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, while responding to the defection of the lawmakers,
told his colleagues to document their decision.
Leadership reports that the defection of the lawmakers is coming after the kidnapped member of the River State House of Assembly, Hon. Golden Ngozi Chioma, regained his freedom after about one week in captivity.
Chioma’s release on Tuesday, 15 July, 2014, came less than 24 hours
after the House of Assembly appealed to the suspected kidnappers to free
him unhurt.
It could be recalled that the lawmaker, who represents Etche Constituency II and Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen on Tuesday, 18 July, 2014, in Diobu axis of Port Harcourt.
Reports had stated that the captors did not establish contact with the victim’s family. It could not be ascertained if ransom was paid before he regained freedom.
* Hon. Chidi Lloyd
Speaking on the official defection of the 25 lawmakers to the APC, Chief of Staff to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Hon. Tony Okocha, opined that the moves by some forces operating from Abuja to use six members of the Rives State House of Assembly to impeach the governor will not succeed.
It could be recalled that the lawmaker, who represents Etche Constituency II and Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen on Tuesday, 18 July, 2014, in Diobu axis of Port Harcourt.
Reports had stated that the captors did not establish contact with the victim’s family. It could not be ascertained if ransom was paid before he regained freedom.
* Hon. Chidi Lloyd
Speaking on the official defection of the 25 lawmakers to the APC, Chief of Staff to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Hon. Tony Okocha, opined that the moves by some forces operating from Abuja to use six members of the Rives State House of Assembly to impeach the governor will not succeed.
