Wike: Defected Rivers lawmakers free to leave PDP, my camp’ll work with loyal members

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the 16 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are free to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike, however, said his camp would continue to work with the remaining lawmakers still loyal to the PDP.

The minister stated this while addressing journalists after inspecting the ongoing construction of an interchange bridge connecting Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi, and Gwarimpa in Abuja on Friday, December 5, 2025.

16 lawmakers, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, announced their defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during plenary in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Citing divisions in the PDP as the reason for the defection, Amaewhule said he was now a member of the APC and would “join hands with Mr President,” noting that President Bola Tinubu “means well for the country.”

Reacting, Wike described the development as “unfortunate,” adding that the party’s internal crisis contributed to the lawmakers’ exit.

Rivers Assembly Speaker, 15 other lawmakers dump PDP for APC

The former governor of Rivers State said: “Well, it’s unfortunate. I have always said that everybody has the right to make a choice. The party is fully factionalised. And the requirement of the Constitution is that when a party is factionalised, they are allowed to leave the party.

“You will see that it’s not everybody who has left. I believe 16 or 17 of them have left out of 27. We still have a good number, about 10, and we will continue to work together. They never told me, but they have a right.”

Wike, who stated that he remained in the PDP, urged the party to put its house in order.

Wike added: “I’m still in the PDP. So those who have remained, we’ll continue to work together. And I have said to the party, put your house in order. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that will lose.

“And we still ask the party to work together to see how the remaining members will be a relevant opposition. But they chose not to. So for me, those who have left are free. But those who remain in the party, we will continue to work together.”

The Star