A brand new spherical of defections has rocked the Home of Representatives, with six lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Celebration, PDP, and the Labour Celebration, LP, asserting their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday.
The Speaker of the Home, Abbas Tajudeen, introduced the defections throughout Thursday’s plenary session after studying particular person letters submitted by the lawmakers.
5 defectors are from Enugu State, whereas one represents Plateau State.
Those that switched allegiance to the APC are Daniel In the past (LP, Plateau), Chidi Obetta (PDP, Enugu), Anayo Onwuegbu (PDP, Enugu), Dennis Agbo (PDP, Enugu), Martins George (PDP, Enugu), and Nnaji Nnolim (PDP, Enugu).
Of their letters to the speaker, the lawmakers cited “irreconcilable variations” and inside divisions inside their former events as causes to affix the APC.
After the announcement, the defectors had been led to the Speaker’s seat, the place they had been formally acquired and welcomed into the ruling get together amid cheers from APC members within the chamber.
The event represents one other wave of defections to the APC in latest weeks, highlighting the get together’s continued consolidation of affect inside the Nationwide Meeting.
A number of lawmakers from the PDP and LP had earlier switched allegiance to the ruling get together, citing instability and factionalism of their former political platforms.
Their defection additionally comes at a time of renewed political realignment throughout the nation, particularly within the South-east, the place the APC has been intensifying efforts to strengthen its presence and broaden its political base forward of the 2027 common elections.
Notably, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah and APC Nationwide Chairperson, Nentawe Yilwatda, had been ushered into the chamber to look at proceedings on Thursday.
Mr Mbah lately moved from the PDP to the APC.
The defections additionally come amid rising indicators of inside instability inside the PDP and LP following the 2023 common elections.
The PDP has continued to battle factional disputes throughout a number of states, whereas the LP has been stricken by a management disaster between its Nationwide Chairperson, Julius Abure, and the faction led by Nenadi Usman.
