Two Rivers PDP Senators Defect to APC

•Ex-deputy speaker depletes party in Edo

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered yet another setback in the senate as two of the three senators from Rivers State, yesterday, joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defecting lawmakers were Senator Allwell Onyesoh, representing Rivers East Senatorial District, and Senator Barinada Mpigi, from Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

Their defection was formally announced during plenary through separate letters read by President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

With the latest development, the number of PDP senators in the 10th Senate dropped from 26 to 24, while APC’s strength increased from 75 to 77.

In their letters, both senators attributed their decision to what they described as deepening factionalisation and irreconcilable internal crisis within PDP at the national level, which they said had made it difficult for them to function effectively on the platform of the opposition party.

Akpabio, after reading the letters, urged the lawmakers to conduct themselves in line with the rules and traditions of the senate, while other APC senators welcomed the defectors with applause and handshakes.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion for the amendment of the senate rule to temporarily allow non-senators into the chamber to witness the defection, and the request was supported by both the majority and the minority caucuses.

The development paved the way for the leadership of the National Working Committee of APC, led by National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, to enter the red chamber and witness the proceeding.

Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Moro, however, cautioned the ruling party to be cautious of the fact that too many heavyweights in a ship could wreck it.

Akpabio also admonished the leadership of APC to ensure internal party democracy and adhere to the rule of law to prevent the situation currently being experienced by PDP.

Ex-Deputy Speaker Depletes PDP in Edo

PDP in Edo State suffered more depletion as former Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Maria Edeko, representing Esan North-East II constituency, left the party for APC. Disclosing this yesterday during plenary, Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, who received Edeko, stated that by the defection, her constituents stood to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

With her defection, APC now has 22 members while PDP has only two.

The remaining PDP members are Hon. Charity Ighodala, minority leader and representative of Ovia North-East II, and Hon. Natasha Osawaru, representing Egor constituency.

Agbebaku told the Assembly that his former deputy defected to APC in her ward and local government area over the weekend.

The speaker had on December 15, while announcing the defection of Hon. Frank Omosigo, representing Oredo East constituency, to APC cautioned members in the opposition parties that it would be difficult for them to attract development to their constituencies.

He stated that lawmakers should prioritise the interests of constituents above their personal interests.