A number of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts, including former acting Chairman in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Nworie, member representing Besse/Maiyama Yema Federal Constituency of Kebbi State, Garba Koko, and others, yesterday, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nworie and his supporters, who were received by the state APC chairmain, Chief Staley Okoro, during a civic reception, organised by the people of Ezza South Local Council, described their former party as a failure.
The ex-acting chairman stated that he would not be a party to any form of fractionalization, adding that his dream was to see that the party wins all elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
Koko, on his part, announced his defection via a letter read on the floor of the House by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.The legislator said he resolved to dump the PDP over the “prolonged and protracted” crisis in the party.
However, the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, countered the defector, saying there was no protracted crisis in the main opposition party.
“It is important to correct the erroneous impression. There is no protracted problem in PDP,” he said. Chinda maintained that all political parties in the country, including the APC and the Labour Party (LP), have one form of internal wrangling.
He asked the Speaker to declare the seat of the defected lawmaker vacant in line with Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the conditions under which a member could lose his/her seat.
Responding, the Speaker said such declaration lies with the court. The defection comes about 24 hours after Amos Magaji from Kaduna ditched the PDP for the APC.
