Rivers senator Ipalibo Banigo defects from PDP to APC

Former Deputy Governor of Rivers State and current senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Banigo announced her decision in a letter addressed to the Senate, which was read during Tuesday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In the letter, the senator cited the prolonged internal crisis within the PDP as the main reason for her departure from the party.

She also expressed support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the exemplary leadership of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.

Six members of the House of Representatives and two senators from the state had earlier defected to the APC.

The House of Representatives members included Dumnamere Dekor(Khana/Gokana federal constituency), Solomon Bob (Abua/Odual and Ahoada east federal constituncy), Hart Cyril (Degema/Bonny federal constituency), Victor Obuzor (Ahoada west/Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni federal constituency), Blessing Amadi (Port Harcourt II federal constituency) and Felix Nweke (Eleme/Oyigbo/Tai federal constituency).

The Senators were Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South-East) and Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh (Rivers East) who had defected to the APC.