Wike Losing Out; Rivers PDP Leaders Dumping Him For APC

The recent Appeal Court’s nullification of Governor Nyesom Wike’s election, as well as that of 15 members of the National Assembly and 22 seats of the State House of Assembly in Rivers State, is beginning to take its toll on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

It was gathered that key members of the PDP and known supporters of Governor Nyesom have started to deplete in numbers.

As a result of the court judgments that went in favour of the APC, the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi as Minister and his ex-aide, Ibim Semenitari as the Acting Head of the NDDC among others, members of the PDP are beginning to dump the party and pitch tent with the APC.

Recently, a frontline governorship candidate of the PDP in the last election from the Kalabari region of the state, Dr. Bekinbo Soberekon, was reportedly sighted at the state secretariat of the APC to register and obtain a membership card of the party.

According to Daily Post, APC is currently registering and re-validating its members' status in Rivers.

Also, one Matthew Aleru, a strong leader of the PDP in Ikwerre LGA, former Commissioner under Peter Odili and former MD of the Niger Delta Development Basin Authority has joined the APC.

In the same vein, Igochukwu Dim, who ran for the Emohua/Ikwerre federal constituency seat on the platform of the PDP has moved with his supporters to the APC.

Just recently, a recent appointee of Wike, Ndubuisi Nwankwo also held a rally to mark his defection to the APC. Ndubuisi, who is from Omuma LGA of the state was last month sworn-in as member of the Governing Council of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.

The Omuma PDP leader defected with more than 80 supporters at a rally attended by the Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC, Asita Asita.

The defectors gave similar reasons, saying PDP under Nyesom Wike had no future for Rivers people.