Two Reps defect to APC

...as PDP, APGA loses members

Two members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Datti Yako,
from Kano State and Danjuma Shittu from Taraba State, Tuesday
defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Yako left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shittu left
the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

In their defection letters, which was read by the Speaker of the
House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmakers cited leadership
crises and factionalization in their respective states as reasons
for leaving the parties upon which they were elected.

Reacting, the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu urged
Gbajabiamila to declare their seats vacant, citing relevant
sections of the constitution and the fact that he was not aware of
any crisis in the party.

Corroborating Elumelu’s opinion, the Deputy Minority Leader,
Hon. Toby Okechukwu, insisted that there was no crisis in the
party, urging the Speaker to put a stop to illegal defections.

According to Okechukwu, “there is a subsisting Supreme Court
judgement which states that it was only a crisis at the national
level of parties that could prompt a defection of any
lawmaker.”

Responding, Gbajabiamila dismissed the protests by the
opposition leaders and ruled in favour of his defecting
colleagues.

He added that Yako’s defection made all the 24 members from Kano
to be in APC.

...as PDP, APGA loses members

Two members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Datti Yako,
from Kano State and Danjuma Shittu from Taraba State, Tuesday
defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Yako left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shittu left
the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

In their defection letters, which was read by the Speaker of the
House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmakers cited leadership
crises and factionalization in their respective states as reasons
for leaving the parties upon which they were elected.

Reacting, the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu urged
Gbajabiamila to declare their seats vacant, citing relevant
sections of the constitution and the fact that he was not aware of
any crisis in the party.

Corroborating Elumelu’s opinion, the Deputy Minority Leader,
Hon. Toby Okechukwu, insisted that there was no crisis in the
party, urging the Speaker to put a stop to illegal defections.

According to Okechukwu, “there is a subsisting Supreme Court
judgement which states that it was only a crisis at the national
level of parties that could prompt a defection of any
lawmaker.”

Responding, Gbajabiamila dismissed the protests by the
opposition leaders and ruled in favour of his defecting
colleagues.

He added that Yako’s defection made all the 24 members from Kano
to be in APC.