27 defected Rivers lawmakers
As the political complexity in Rivers State continues to dominate discussions in the country, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enemi George, has ruled out returning to the former party.
Explaining the resolve of the cross carpeting members to remain with their new party, George, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, said that 27 of them that moved to the APC are committed to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
“We have crossed that Rubicon. We have moved to the APC. We voted for the President, if we find Mr President worthy of our votes then I think we should find him worthy of our support.
“We have moved over to join his Renewed Hope Agenda to work hands in gloves with him to ensure that the expectations of Nigerians are fulfilled. So, we have moved to the APC and we are working with the President, we have crossed that Rubicon and there is no going back for us,” George said.
Recall that Rivers has been embroiled in political fisticuffs as a result of disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The crack between Wike and Fubara split lawmakers in the House with 27 of them decamping from the PDP to the ruling APC, a party in whose central government Wike currently serves as minister.
It degenerated to a level where the governor was served impeachment notice, saw the demolition of the Assembly complex, and a gale of resignations of pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.
However, a resolution seemed to have been reached after Tinubu had a meeting with the warring parties on Monday.
‘How Fubara, Wike Reached Truce’
According to George, over 150 people from both parties, including members of the National Assembly, elders in the state, among others, attended the peace meeting with the President.
He went on to narrate how truce was brokered between the warring parties by the President.
“For every item that was considered, the President gave both parties the option of controverting or agreeing. So, each item was deliberated and was agreed on.
“At the end of the deliberations, parties were asked to come up and append their signatures to the document and Mr President said, ‘Do I have your approval to release this to the press?’ and everybody echoed yes.
“And so, everybody signed on the document and then we moved forward. The governor signed and he gave a speech that he was committed to that agreement; Mr Speaker also made a speech and committed to accepting all the agreement,” he said.
Channels TV
