Fresh political developments in Rivers State suggest a dramatic shift in power dynamics, as lawmakers who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly scrambling to secure their political future.
According to insider sources, the defecting legislators had initially banked on strong backing from Abuja power brokers, leveraging connections with top APC figures to push for automatic tickets ahead of future elections. However, those expectations appear to be collapsing amid a changing political landscape.
At the center of this shift is Hope Uzodinma, who, as Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, is said to be playing a strategic role in stabilizing alliances and recalibrating influence within the party. His position is reportedly aligning more closely with Siminalayi Fubara, effectively blunting the “federal might” the lawmakers had relied on.
Sources indicate that the once-powerful Abuja connection the lawmakers flaunted has weakened significantly, forcing a political rethink. The new reality, insiders say, is that influence has shifted back to the state level.
“The route has changed,” a source familiar with the situation revealed. “What used to go through Abuja now goes directly to Government House in Port Harcourt.”
With this shift, the message to the affected lawmakers is becoming increasingly clear: reconciliation with Governor Fubara may now be their only viable path forward.
The unfolding situation signals a broader recalibration within the APC, where internal alignments and state-level authority are beginning to outweigh previously dominant federal influence.
