Breaking: Key Fubara allies defect to APP as Rivers elections heat up, details emerge

• Several Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara have defected from the PDP to the Action People’s Party (APP)
• The defections, including key figures like Ezebunwo Ichemati and Marvin Yobana, highlight a deepening divide within the PDP
• The Action People’s Party is gaining momentum in Rivers State, with widespread campaign activities and plans to launch senatorial campaigns

Port Harcourt, Rivers state - In a dramatic political shift ahead of the October 5, 2024, local government elections in Rivers State, several Caretaker Committee (CTC) Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action People’s Party (APP).

This mass defection comes amid growing speculation that Governor Fubara himself may also abandon the PDP, following a protracted rift with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Key Fubara allies leave PDP for APP Photo credit: Siminalayi Fubara
Source: Facebook

You would recall that Wike has been accused of hijacking the state's PDP structure.

Despite persistent rumours, Governor Fubara recently denied any plans to leave the PDP, reaffirming his commitment to the party while hosting the PDP Board of Trustees, led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Defection reveals PDP deepening divide

However, the defection of key council chairmen and their supporters suggests a deepening divide within the party at the grassroots level.

Among those who have switched allegiance to the APP is Ezebunwo Ichemati, the CTC Chairman of Port Harcourt City Council.

Ichemati, who is now campaigning for a substantive chairmanship position under the APP banner, has prominently displayed his new party's logo on billboards and posters across the city.

He has pledged to offer credible leadership and adhere to positive campaigning, avoiding negative tactics.

Similarly, Marvin Yobana, the CTC Chairman of Khana LGA, formally announced his defection to the APP during an event in Khana Local Council on Monday, September 23.

Yobana, who reportedly did not receive Governor Fubara's endorsement to contest in the upcoming election, introduced Martins Ibibo as the APP candidate for Khana LGA, expressing confidence in his victory.

The defection wave appears widespread, with campaign posters of APP candidates now visible in various parts of Rivers State.

This shift has set the stage for a potentially significant realignment in the state's political landscape.

In a related development, the Rivers State Chairman of the APP, Sunny Wokekoro, announced plans to commence senatorial campaigns on Tuesday, starting with the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in Bori, the headquarters of Khana LGA.

Wokekoro emphasized that the APP is poised to "change the narrative" in Rivers State politics, positioning the party as a formidable contender in the upcoming elections.

APC to sanction pro-Wike lawmakers over defection denial

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Emeka Beke, has criticized the 27 lawmakers from the state House of Assembly who have denied their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Beke, asserted that these lawmakers, led by Martin Amaewhule, cannot deny their membership in the APC after openly defecting.

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Source: Legit.ng