Port Harcourt, Rivers State – E don happen o! Speaker of di Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, don jump ship go di All Progressives Congress (APC). Di man plus 15 odas no dey play as dem announce dia defection from di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on di floor of di house for Friday, 5 December. Wetin suprise me pass na di reason wey dem carry come, wetin dem dey call ‘division’ for di PDP (ah, di wahala wey sabi know itself!).
Amaewhule no gree waste time. E come dey yarn like say na di happiest moment of im life as e tok, ‘Distinguished colleagues, very happily, make I announce say your speaker don decide and don indeed write to my ward chairman of my decision to comot di PDP. APC na my new party.’ (Some people sabi how to shine for light, e be like say na dem get copyright for bad news). E even carry am go another level as e take time dey beg for di APC party card to dey show off. E say di APC dey do plenty for Nigeria, so make dem join forces with Mr. President.
As dem dey carry this gist, no forget say dis defection dey come just few days after di 32-member Rivers assembly bin pass vote of confidence on President Bola Tinubu (no one go wan hear di excuse of dem being ‘disloyal’). Dem dey beg am to seek re-election, but dem wey dey loyal to Wike wey don find im own level, na dem dey give di biggest side eye.
Di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, don yan say di 16 members wey don defect go APC dey free to do wetin dem wan as he no go hold dem for PDP, because di party don scatter (e fit just siddon dey watch like film). Wike come dey complain say na di internal crisis for di PDP make dem comot. ‘Di party dey fully factionalised,’ e talk as e dey drop di bomb. ‘Constitution tok say wen party dey factionalised, members fit waka go anywhere.’ Wike no gree miss im mouth, e dey waka on di line balance as e insist say im still dey PDP, even though dem don expel am – talk about confidence!
This no be di first time wahala dey catch Rivers State assembly di way dem dey defect. Back for December 2023, 27 of dem don change team from PDP go APC too. Na so di wahala dey start, wey sabi say e dey follow di loss of di national secretary position for di PDP wey don cause court case like say na popcorn. Di confusion wey don dey surround dis position don scatter di party as dem dey fight like children for market.
According to dem, since 1999, di PDP don hold di oil-rich state tight until wahala fit start from dis recent political fisticuff as di lawmakers don dey fight di governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and di lot wey dey follow Wike no sit down well again. Di matter comot from di assembly complex and we even hear say part of di complex don feel di hotness of di political tension.
As di political theatre dey unfold, President Bola Tinubu declare six-month state of emergency on di state on 18 March, wey lead to di suspension of Fubara, im deputy, plus di lawmakers (baba wan settle di place before e carry im house go). But as di emergency rule expire on 17 September, dem don bring back di governor, di deputy, plus di lawmakers. Wahala! No be small.
Di PDP wahala really start since di presidential election of 2023 wey show say di party no sabi handle dem own house. Wike plus Fubara wey be im political godfather don dey face each other like two boxers wey dey ready for di ring. Di fallout don cause confusion wey even lead to di explosion for di Assembly complex! Na wah o!
With all dis wey don happen, e look like say Rivers State still dey cook even as dem dey focus on 2024 budget presentation. But wetin we go see be say di political drama go continue to dey unfold. Keep your cups close, because wahala dey brew!
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