By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
The Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, and 17 other members of the House have defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Deputy Speaker of the House Abubakar Magaji and the House Leader, Hon. Garba Bello Yabo also dumped the APC.
However, 12 other lawmakers had remained in the APC and reaffirmed their commitment and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Speaker of the House made the announcement during plenary at the Assembly complex, Sokoto on Wednesday.
He said 18 members of the House had resolved to leave the APC following internal division and acrimony bedevilling the party in many states of the federation.
Maidaji stated that the members, therefore, defected to the PDP as a result of lack of unity and cohesion in the ruling party.
“We are all aware that all efforts to bring sanity into the APC and unite the different groups had proved abortive.
“These ugly developments plunged the APC into crisis with litigations in several states of the federation thereby putting the party in serious danger leading to mass defection at the National Assembly.
“The election is around the corner and we stand in danger if we remain in a party that is divided against itself,” he said.
He added that their defection was in line with section 109(1) (g) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the plenary, the member representing Gudu constituency in the House, Alhaji Sani Yakubu, who spoke on behalf of the other 11 lawmakers, stressed that they resolved to remain in the APC and work towards Buhari’s re-election in 2019.
“We the 12 members of the House wish to categorically inform the public that we still remain in the APC, the party we were elected under its platform to represent people of our various constituencies.
