Reps in rowdy session as two PDP lawmakers dump party

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crept to the House of Representatives on Wednesday which witnessed a rowdy session following the decampment of two members of the opposition party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The two House members who dumped the PDP are Rep. Tony Nwoye from Anambra State and Rep. Udende Emmanuel from Benue State.

In separate letters read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara at plenary announcing their defection from the PDP to the APC, the two lawmakers, cited divisions within the PDP as the reason for their leaving the party.

According to the House members, since the PDP had allegedly broken into three factions headed by Ali Modu Sheriff, Ahmed Makarfi and Jerry Gana respectively, they do not wish to belong to any faction of the opposition party and were therefore, joining the ruling APC.

Following this development, Minority Leader, Rep. Leo Ogor raised a point of order and protested against the reasons adduced by the decamping House for leaving the PDP.

According to him, no recognised institution such as the courts had ruled that the party had split into factions and as such the lawmakers claim that the PDP was factionalised was false.

In his ruling, the Speaker said there was no need to debate the matter as the problems affecting the PDP will be handled by its national leaders.

Reacting to the defection of the two lawmakers in an interview, Rep. Ogor expressed disappointment at the behaviour of the two House members, insisting that there was no basis for their defection as there are no factions in the PDP while no court has ruled otherwise.

“The Supreme Court ruling says for there to be a faction, some members of the executive of the party have to be a part of the faction. The convention took a decision of setting up an ad hoc committee to organise elections in three months”, he said.

He disclosed that he would approach the party today with the votes and proceedings of the House.

“We would head to court to make sure they vacate those seats, and then we go for election to replace those interlopers. They think they can go to APC so easily, but they are wrong. So as long as we have a Supreme Court ruling on this matter, they are history,” Ogor said.

He admitted that as Minority Leader, he was taken completely unawares by the defections, adding that “I am so shocked and highly disappointed. I would have thought they would have discussed this kind of issue with me. They know there are no factions but they are trying to create factions. They did not do proper consultations on this.

These are young men who do not know their right from their left in politics,” he said.