APC gains four reps in one week — including two from PDP

Sam Onuigbo, member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency of Abia state, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmaker’s defection brings to four the number of lawmakers that have joined the APC on the floor of the house since Tuesday.

Onuigbo’s defection was announced by Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, at plenary on Thursday.

The lawmaker cited crisis and impunity in his local government chapter of the PDP as his reason for defection.

“The past months have witnessed intense crisis bordering on tyranny, arising from lack of internal democracy and downright impunity in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” Onuigbo’s letter reads.

“This crisis has seriously distracted genuine leaders from effectively carrying out their primary responsibility of providing leadership to our people who, as it is, have been starved of progressive leadership.

“Having considered all of this and the need to contribute in bringing sanity and progressive leadership back to my people, I have consulted widely with my other progressive brothers and sisters both in Abia state and outside the state and I have made a decision to take this step in joining them in embarking on the important journey of working together with other progressives in our effort to reposition the state and the nation for verifiable development.”

Ndudi Elumelu, the house minority leader, kicked against his colleague’s action and asked the speaker to declare his seat vacant — a request the speaker ruled out.

On Tuesday, Aliyu Ya’u and Shiddi Danjuma also defected to the APC from PDP and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), respectively.

Tajudeen Adefisoye, lawmaker representing, Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency, Ondo State, on Wednesday joined the APC from Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Speaking on his reason for leaving the SDP, Adefisoye said “protracted leadership crisis has manifested in the plethora of ongoing court cases as well as the multiple factions of the party that have surfaced at the national level and Ondo state chapter of SDP”.