Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule and fifteen other lawmakers have officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement was made during plenary on Friday, immediately drawing attention across the state’s political landscape.

Amaewhule, who addressed the chamber before making the declaration, said their decision followed what he described as a “clear division” within the PDP.

According to him, the level of internal conflict in the party had made it difficult for them to continue operating effectively.

He explained that the defection was necessary for the lawmakers to align with a political structure they believe would offer stability and enable them to deliver better governance to their various constituencies.

The Speaker added that the current state of the PDP in Rivers had become “unsustainable” and incapable of supporting legislative progress.