PDP loses two lawmakers to APC

By Tony Akowe, Abuja

 

 

Two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives from Cross River State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

They Idagbo Ochiglegor representing Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra and Michael Etaba from Obubra/Eating federal Constituencies.

In their separate letters read at yesterday’s plenary by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmakers said they decided to leave the PDP as a result of crisis within the main opposition party.

However, the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, raised a point of order to draw the attention of the House to section 68 of the Constitution which requires defecting lawmakers to vacate their seats.

He dismissed claims by the defecting lawmakers of a crisis existing within the PDP, saying the PDP was in no crisis.

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Okechukwu regretted that members of the House has continued to violate constitutional provisions by remaining on their seat after defection, adding that the House should decide whether to be a House that obeys the law or a House that breaks the law.

 

He insisted that the two lawmakers should be made to vacate their seats in the House.

Noting the point of order, the Speaker said the fact that two members of the same party defected on the same day was indicative of a crisis.

He, however, said that it was only the court that can decide on the issue of whether there is a crisis or not.

The defection of the two lawmakers came barely a month after Cross River State Governor Prof. Ben Ayade dumped the PDP for APC.