Plot to Impeach Kogi Speaker Thickens as Six PDP Members Decamp to APC

They must vacate their seats immediately, says PDP Gov welcomes defectors

Plot to impeach Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Umar Imam, thickens as six lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter of the PDP has said it has decided never to work with the Senator Sheriff-led leadership because of “threats, inducement and intimidation” it suffered from the former Borno State governor’s hands.

Led by Usman Danjuma Ibrahim, Sheriff had done all in his power to frustrate the PDP grassroots stakeholders, including unilaterally installing a parallel state executive to force them out of the party “but we stayed firm due to the love we have for the party.”

The stakeholders maintained that Borno State has been a PDP state from inception of the present democratic dispensation, stating that it won gubernatorial election in 1999, 2007 and 2011 but was shortchanged by Sheriff then in one of the opposition parties.

The Borno also stated that it has “unanimously agreed to the leadership of the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Makarfi all decisions that will be taken by the committee with special consideration and consultation.”

However, the Governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has expressed delight over what he said was the northern PDP yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the assembly.

Those who decamped from PDP to APC are the Majority Leader of the assembly, Mathew Kolawole of Kabba/Bunu; John elders’ acceptance of a political solution to the crisis currently rocking the party.

The governor yesterday commended party leaders and elders in the north for opting to support an alternative resolution of the issues and lauded their recommendations on his committee’s efforts to find enduring peace in the party.

The governor stressed that taking the path of finding a political solution to the current crisis remains a win-win option for everyone in the PDP.

He advised against taking hard stances, noting that the northern PDP leaders’ position underscores their commitment to finding peace in the shortest possible time.

In a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel IworisoMarkson, the head of the PDP peace committee noted that at a time the party needed to put its house in order, personal interests must give way to the overall survival of the PDP.

“The governor commends the PDP northern leaders for opting for a political solution in the resolution of the party’s leadership crisis. He thanks them for accepting this option and their unalloyed commitment to the PDP as a party,” the statement said. Abah of Ibaji and Mukhtar Adoke of Adavi.

Others are Ahmed Muhammad of Ankpa I, Victor Adewale Omofaiye of Ijumu and Abdulkarim Kekere Sani of Okehi.

Before decamping from the PDP to APC yesterday, PDP had 16 members, while APC had nine members just as the present Speaker, Imam of APC who is in the minority, took over the leadership of the assembly after impeaching the former Speaker, Hon. Momohjimoh Lawal of the PDP.

With the defection of six PDP members, APC is now a majority party in the assembly with 15 members while PDP is 10.

Sources close to the assembly disclosed to THISDAY that the defection is connected to the plot to impeach the present Speaker any moment from now having allegedly lost favour with the powers that be.

Meanwhile the state chapter of the party has condemned the action of the defected PDP members, saying they must vacate their seats immediately.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Hon. Bode Ogunmola, which was made available to THISDAY.

He noted that “it is indeed disheartening that rather than join hands with the party to take over power from this administration that has refused to conduct local government elections in the state, they are defecting.

Meanwhile, the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has welcomed the defection of the six lawmakers to APC.

The Director General of Media and Publicity to the governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement issued yesterday in reaction to the defection, said APC is a revolutionary movement against poverty, underdevelopment and corruption.

The statement said: Today, in our state, the ‘new direction’ administration under the leadership of Bello is working hard to serve the people of the state, defeat poverty and criminality as well as take the state to the promised land.

“The governor’s style of leadership must have attracted the legislators who defected to the party. Bello will continue to deliver on his promises and continue to strengthen the APC.

“As the leader of the party in the state, the governor welcomes them to the APC fold and wishes to assure them that all will be treated equally in the party.”