The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly took a new turn on Monday as twenty-seven out of the 32 members defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state to the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmakers announced their defection in a group photograph in which they are seen holding APC flags.
They cited division within the ruling PDP as the major reason for their defection to the APC.
The lawmakers involved are said to be those loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
It was gathered that the lawmakers held plenary around 8am on Monday where they the decision to defect from the ruling PDP to the main opposition APC.
The lawmakers were said to have sat under tight security at the entrance of the Assembly complex along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt.
This development, it was learnt, has worsened the spat between the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike.