Another Three PDP Senators Defect To APC
Three senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They are Amos Yohanna, senator representing Adamawa north; Aminu Abbas, lawmaker representing Adamawa central; and Ikra Bilbis, who represents Zamfara north.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio read their letters of defection during plenary on Wednesday.
Yohanna said he resigned his membership of the PDP due to internal divisions within the party.
“I write to formally notify you that I have resigned my membership of the People’s Democratic Party, which sponsored my election to the Senate representing Adamawa North senatorial district, and to announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress,” he said.
Yohanna said the decision followed prolonged internal divisions within the party at the national level.
“This decision follows prolonged and unresolved internal divisions within the party at a national level, which have significantly impaired its cohesion and effective functioning of the party,” he said.
He added that the persistent crisis had created structural fractures within the PDP.
“The persistent crisis has created a structural fracture within the party affecting its national leadership and operational stability,” he said.
He said his defection was in line with the provisions of the constitution.
“In view of the foregoing and pursuant to Section 68 Subsection 1G of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, which permits a member of the Senate or a member of the Legislature to retain his seat where defection arises from a division in the political party at a national level, particularly that sponsored this election,” he added.
“I hereby formally notify the Senate of my decision and my formal defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
In his letter, Abbas said he had resigned his membership of the PDP and defected to the APC with immediate effect.
“I write to formally inform you and my distinguished colleagues in this hallowed chamber of my decision to resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party and officially defect to the All Progressives Congress with immediate effect,” he said.
Abbas said the move was in line with section 68 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
“This move is pursuant to the provisions of Section 68 of Section 1G of the 1999 constitution as amended, which permits a member of the national assembly to defect to any political party of his choice where there is a division in the national leadership of the party that sponsored his election,” he said.
Abbas said the prevailing conditions within the PDP meet the constitutional threshold of division.
“The prevailing conditions within the PDP clearly meet the constitutional threshold of the word division as recognized by the extant judicial interpretations of the above provisions of the Constitution,” he said.
He added that persistent crisis and leadership tussles within the party informed his decision.
“The deepening of internal factions and the ongoing leadership tussles, which resulted in multiple court cases, have created uncertainty regarding the party’s stability and the possible prospect of the party in the forthcoming election,” he added.
“This informed my decision to withdraw my membership of the party and to defect to the All Progressives Congress.”
In his own letter, Bilbis said his resignation from the PDP and defection to the APC followed consultations with stakeholders.
“I write to notify His Excellency and the hallowed chamber of my decision to resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party and to cross over to the All Progressives Congress,” Bilbis said.
“The difficult but very necessary decision comes after extensive and well-dressed consultations with my political associates and key stakeholders within my constituency and beyond.”
The lawmaker said his primary allegiance remains to the people of his senatorial district.
“My primary allegiance remains to the good people of my senatorial district, whom I owe my allegiance and respect,” he said.
“I represent their collective aspiration for effective governance, and that is what is guiding this move.”
Bilbis said the decision was also influenced by the crisis within the PDP and the need to align with the federal government.
“My decision is predicated on prolonged internal crises in my former party, the PDP, the need for alignment with the centre, and the need to continue to support the national agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” he added.
“I formally request that you direct the clerk of the Senate to reflect this change in the records of the Senate, that I, Distinguished Senator Ikra Bilbis, am no longer a member of the PDP, but now belong to the All Progressive Congress.”
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
