Kogi assembly majority leader, 5 others join APC

The Majority Leader of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, and five other lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday defected to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kolawole, who represents Kaba/ Bunu State Constituency, dumped the PDP alongside John Abba (Ibaji), Adoke Bello (Adavi), Ahmed Mohammed (Ankpa 1),Victor Omofaye (Ijumu) and Kekere AbdulKareem ( Okehi).

In their letter of defection, which was read on the floor of the House by Speaker Ahmed Imam, the concerned lawmakers cited internal squabbles and wrangling in the PDP both at the national and state levels as grounds for their defection.

The defected lawmakers noted that the squabbles left the PDP with two factional national chairmen; Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

“The existence of such divisive factions within the party for over 10 months has left us uncomfortable politically and subsequently, rendered us neophytic for effective and people driven representation of our various constituents,” the lawmakers said in the letter.

With the decamping of six PDP members, the APC now has majority in the house with15 members while PDP has 10 members.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the action of the lawmakers, saying they must vacate their seats immediately.

The party, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Bode Ogunmola, said it was disheartening that the lawmakers chose to defect rather than join hands with the party to take over power from the administration in the state.

Reacting to the defection report, Governor Yahaya Bello, through his Director General on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, welcomed the lawmakers into the APC fold and assured them of equal treatment.