Rivers State lawmaker makes u-turn after defecting to APC, returns to PDP

Linda Somari Stewart, one of the 27 Rivers state house of assembly members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made a U-turn.

According to Sahara Reporters on Wednesday, December 13, Stewart, the lawmaker representing Okrika in the Rivers state assembly “made a u-turn as the seats of the defectors were about to be declared vacant”.

Her defection means Stewart has moved from minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike’s camp to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s camp. It also means that she returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Telegraph noted.

27 pro-Wike lawmakers dump PDP for APC in Rivers

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that about 27 members of the Rivers state house of assembly, who are said to be loyal to Wike defected to the APC.

The lawmakers dumped the PDP for the APC on Monday, December 11, during the sitting of the house.

"27 Rivers' lawmakers' seats already vacant" - Lawyer

Legit.ng also reported that a lawyer, Kalu Kalu, has said the 27 lawmakers from Rivers state who recently left the PDP in Rivers state have lost their seats in parliament.

Kalu, in an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, December 12, noted that the law states that an elected official can only defect from his party to another during the course of his term if there is a leadership struggle within the party.