Two Senators Dump PDP, Notify Senate 

By Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

Barely 11 days to the end of their tenure, two senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Matthew Urhoghide representing Edo South Senatorial District and Senator Ayo Akinyelure representing Ondo Central, have dumped their party.

Both senators were however, silent on the political party they intend to embrace but said they were available for any political party that meant well for them and their followers.

They notified their colleagues in separate letters which was read by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege at plenary on Wednesday.

Addressing journalists after the plenary, Urhoghide and Akinyelure said they had yet to make up his mind on which party to join.

The senators said they decided to leave the PDP  following the way the leadership of the party handled the  primaries last year with outright disregard for the committed leaders.

They lamented that despite their financial commitments to the party, they were treated with ignominy

Part of Urhoghide’s letter read, “This difficult decision to resign my  immediate membership  from PDP arose out of the negative political energy emanating at the moment from the irreconcilable differences and squabbles within the PDP at the national level and especially in my dear state, Edo State. 

“These squabbles have spiked to levels that have made it impossible for someone like me who is a confirmed democrat to function and grow as I envisioned in my political journey. 

“I am however grateful to the party which yielded me the platform to achieve the mission of serving my country as a two-term senator — which experience afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with all you wonderful colleagues.

“The opportunity helped too to build and form important and lasting friendships here at the senate. 

“Above all else, it imbued in me knowledge and experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else. 

Akinyelure, in his own letter said his resignation will take  effect from 11th June, 2023 when he  must have completed his  four year tenure in the Senate of the 9th Assembly. 

He said the  decision to quit PDP came at this time since the 9th  Senate was coming to an end.

He expressed  his  appreciation to the PDP  for granting him  the opportunity to serve Ondo Central Senatorial District and Nigeria in the Senate of the 9th Assembly on the platform of PDP. 

Part of the letter read, “My decision is to enable me to settle down and look forward to other areas of human and professional endeavours where I can be of value addition to my dear State, Ondo State and Nigeria in general. Once again, 

“I say big congratulations for moving Nigeria forward to greater heights of development going forward in our political endeavours.”