The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party intensified on Tuesday following the defection of two serving senators from Rivers State, Allwell Onyesoh and Barinada Mpigi, to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Both lawmakers attributed their decision to persistent internal divisions within the PDP and the need to work more closely with the Federal Government in order to deliver meaningful development to their constituents.
The defections were announced separately during plenary at the Senate, where the lawmakers formally switched allegiance in the presence of senior APC officials from both the national and state levels.
Senator Onyesoh, who represents Rivers East Senatorial District, said his move followed extensive consultations with political leaders, stakeholders and constituents across his district. He explained that the decision reflected the collective aspirations of the people he represents.
According to him, his loyalty lies first with his constituents rather than with any political party. He noted that while political parties serve as platforms for contesting elections, recent political realities had underscored the importance of aligning with the centre to attract development and effective governance.
Onyesoh said his election on the PDP platform was based on shared political interests at the time, but current circumstances required a reassessment in order to better serve the people of Rivers East. He assured that his commitment to development, particularly in the area of human capital, would remain unchanged despite his change of party.
Similarly, Senator Mpigi, who represents Rivers South-East Senatorial District, grounded his defection on constitutional provisions, citing deep-rooted and unresolved crises within the PDP at all levels of the party structure.
Invoking Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, Mpigi said the persistent factional disputes within the PDP at the national, state, local government and ward levels had led to a breakdown of party authority in Rivers State and made his continued membership impractical.
While expressing appreciation to the PDP for providing him the platform to enter the National Assembly, Mpigi said the party had failed to create a stable and functional environment for its elected representatives. He appealed to his colleagues for understanding, noting that unresolved internal conflicts had made it difficult to operate effectively under the party’s banner.
Top APC officials, including the party’s National Secretary, Deputy National Chairman (North), South-South National Vice Chairman, National Youth Leader and the Rivers State APC chairman, were on hand to receive the defectors. Party leaders described the development as a major boost for the APC in the South-South region ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest defections further strengthen the APC’s numerical advantage in the Senate, while the PDP continues to battle internal discord and a declining presence in the Red Chamber.
