- PDP suffers huge setback in Rivers as over 2000 members of the party join APC in Degema local government area




- An APC chieftain Dr. Sokonte Davies describes his party as the only party that is capable of meeting the aspirations of Nigerians

- The defectors say their decision to quit the PDP was informed by the leadership style of the APC leaders at all levels which they described as people oriented



Over two thousand members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema local government area of Rivers state have defected to the main opposition party All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The defectors were welcomed on Monday, June 26, at Tombia, Degema local government area, during an empowerment programme.

On hand to welcome the defectors, Dr. Sokonte Davies, a chieftain of the APC in Rivers and a former member of the House of Representatives representing Degema/Bonny constituency, described APC as the only party that is capable of meeting the aspirations of Nigerians, The Nation reports.

According to him, the APC is a party every member should be proud of, in view of its commitment to the people and abhorrence to violence.


Davies, who is also the Executive Director Marine and Operations of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), urged APC members to remain committed to the party as he assured other politicians wishing to defect to the party of a level-playing field.

Speaking also, Kesibo Gogo-Abite, the chairman of APC in Degema LGA noted that the defectors took the right decision of joining the focused party.

He said APC had a transformatory mission to reposition Nigeria for accelerated development.

Gogo-Abite also urged the defectors to remain steadfast and work tirelessly for the progress of the party in their various communities, the LGA and Rivers state.

He noted that the defection marked a new chapter in the political history of the area.

Two of the defectors, Rev. Obubeleye Waribo and Madam Trust Davies, in their separate speeches, stated that their decision to quit the PDP was informed by the leadership style of the APC leaders at all levels, which they described as people oriented.

The defection in Rivers comes weeks after a former Kebbi state PDP Chairman, Bello Doya, and 25,000 other members of the party including key party stalwarts decamped to the APC.

Governor Atiku Bagudu, APC executives, and hundreds of supporters from the 21 local government areas of the state were on hand to receive the decampees, among whom were Isah Argungu, the former director general of the campaign organization of former governor Saidu Dakingari and the 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate, Bello Sarkin-Yaki.