APC Lawmaker, Nwuze Joins PDP, Meets Wike Days After Release From Prison

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ephraim Nwuzi, on Wednesday, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), days after he was released from detention.

Naija News recalls that Nwuzi had dumped the PDP for the APC in 2021, pledging loyalty to the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, after accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of high-handedness.

Nwuzi, who represents Etche-Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was arrested two days before the 2023 election after operatives of the Nigeria Police invaded his home in his community in Etche.

Nwuzi’s arrest followed a video which was circulated on social media, showing him making threats to kill officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who will be serving in the just concluded general elections.

The lawmaker, who re-contested but lost to PDP’s Kelechi Nworgu, was remanded in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in February after he was arraigned and prosecuted by the Rivers state government.

But it was learned that Nwuze was released following the withdrawal of the charges against him by the Rivers government through the State Attorney General, who also announced the discontinuance of his prosecution.

After Nwuze was released from prison, he was pictured with Wike and other PDP chieftains at the Governor’s private residence in Rumuepirikom, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.