Wike Seeks Return Of Amaewhule, Rivers Lawmakers To PDP As Political Tensions Resurface
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reportedly appealed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, alongside other federal and state lawmakers from Rivers State, to consider returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in what appears to be a fresh twist in the state’s prolonged political crisis.
Wike made the appeal during a political engagement at Wadata Plaza on Monday, where key stakeholders of the PDP were present. The move, according to observers, signals renewed efforts toward reconciliation within the party amid lingering tensions over past defections.
The lawmakers in question, including members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, had earlier defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), aligning themselves with what they described at the time as the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Tinubu. The development effectively shifted the balance of power in the Rivers Assembly and deepened the political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
Wike, who now serves in the APC-led Federal Executive Council while maintaining strong influence within PDP structures in Rivers State, told party stakeholders that recent efforts had helped ease tensions that led to the defections, describing the situation as largely stabilised.
However, the call for a return has sparked renewed debate among political observers, some of whom view it as a complex attempt at reconciliation in a deeply fractured political environment.
Analysts note that the situation raises constitutional and political questions, particularly regarding the implications of the lawmakers’ initial defection and the legal status of their seats under Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which addresses defection by legislators.
While some stakeholders see Wike’s intervention as a step toward political stability in Rivers State, others argue it could further complicate existing alignments ahead of future elections, especially given his dual influence in both the APC federal administration and PDP political structures in the state.
As reactions continue to trail the development, attention remains focused on whether the affected lawmakers will reconsider their political stance or maintain their current alignment, in a saga that continues to shape the political landscape of Rivers State.
