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21 Commissioners, 16 Lawmakers Defect to PDP in Rivers State

Following the defection of the deputy governor of Rivers State, Engr Tele Ikuru from All the Progressives Congress [APC], to the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], 21 Commissioners and 16 out of 25 State House of Assembly members in Rivers state have joined the defection fever.

Following the defection of the deputy governor of Rivers State, Engr Tele Ikuru from All the Progressives Congress [APC], to the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], 21 Commissioners and 16 out of 25 State House of Assembly members in Rivers state have joined the defection fever.

The defection of the commissioners and lawmakers was announced by an aide to Mr Nyesom Wike, former junior minister for education and now PDP gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state.

The unnamed aide said ''the APC in Rivers state is dead and buried with the defection of commissioners and assembly members''. Mr. Amaechi's longtime deputy, Engr. Tele Renner Ikuru, had yesterday dramatically defected to the Peoples Democratic Party thereby jilting his boss, Governor Rotimi Amaechi who is also the Director General of the APC Campaign Organisation.

Despite widely held beliefs that his personal grouse with his long time principal since 2007 as well as the APC was a contributing factor to his defection, it is believed that the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Uche Secondus, who is from the same community with him as well as Nyesom Wike was influential to his jumping ship.

While welcoming Ikuru yesterday to the fold of the PDP, Wike had assured that more will defect before the elections. While announcing his defection yesterday in an address to the state, Ikuru said, “Today, I address you out of the fullness of my heart.

Recall that in December 2013 out of extreme loyalty to my boss and friend, I joined the APC along with other disillusioned Rivers people. “Ever since, as the true nature of APC unfolds, I continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony. The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers in me rejects the APC.

“After carefully studying and analysing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists clothed in the robe of pretence and deceit.
“APC is a party founded on deception and entrenched on unholy propaganda and falsehood.

“I therefore on behalf of my teeming supporters and my humble self, denounce the APC and we all jointly and severally resign our membership of the APC. “My dear people of Rivers state, we of this generation will not in good conscience, forgiveness and compassion out of posterity for the spirit of our unborn generation if it is recorded on the annals of history that after 48 years of Rivers people supporting leaders from all other parts of this country without resources will where the same and handed down the very first ever president from this region granted us by privilege.

“I therefore wash my hands off this treachery." He said Reacting to his defection, Governor Amaechi has described as shocking his deputy's decision to defect pointing out that he had gone to where is heart truly belongs while wishing him well with his future political endeavors.

Few days to the much anticipated general election, it is yet uncertain how the APC in Rivers state will fare with this defection tsunami.
Tim Elombah/Dahiru Lawal

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