By Adedayo Akinwale
A member representing Egbado North/Imeko-Afon federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jimoh Aremu, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a letter read by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on the floor of House at the plenary yesterday, the lawmaker said he decided to jump ship as a result of the crisis in the ADC.
Aremu added that as a result of the crisis and futile efforts at resolving them, he, along with his followers, decided to pitch their tenth with the APC.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, while raising a point of order, said the lawmaker’s defection was in breach of the Nigerian Constitution, which states the qualifications for any member to defect to another party.
He pointed out that the letter of defection contradicts itself when it states in one paragraph that there was a crisis in the party, and in another, it states that the state governor was instrumental in his decision to join the APC.
Okechukwu said: “Mr. Speaker, you are quite aware that there is no crisis in the ADC.”
But the Speaker said: “I am not aware that there is no crisis in the ADC, because I am not a member of the party. In any case, let me ask you, who is the chairman of the ADC?
“Let me use the same term I used the last time, and it is legal terminology and that term is a meddlesome interloper. You are a meddlesome interloper, and so you are ruled out of order.”
