Drama as Another PDP House Member Defects to APC

There was a mild drama yesterday in the House of Representatives following the defection of another member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Egor/ Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency of Edo State, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma.

In his letter of defection which was read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, he cited among other things, division within the PDP for leaving the party.

He said his former party had shut the door against him, prompting him to eventually resign his membership of PDP.

But in a rare show of courage, his exit from PDP rather than being a source of concern to his colleagues, was welcomed by them.

House Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwuma Onyema, said though the procedure for his defection was unconstitutional, Agbonayinma’s exit from the PDP was rather a relief as he has been “a cancerous tumour and we are happy he’s leaving us.”

It was the first time the PDP would openly celebrate the defection of a member to another party in the House.

While there was celebration within the APC caucus which welcomed him, members of the PDP bade him farewell, chanting ‘shame’ at him.

His defection was witnessed by the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, a former member of the Housewho was earlier admitted into the chamber to observe the proceedings.

Later at a press briefing, shortly after de-camping to the ruling party, Agbonayinma, flanked by Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and other members of the APC, said: “It’s about time we put partisan politics aside and put the interest of Nigerians at heart.”

He said his former party had been factionalised, adding that a house divided can never stand.

The defected lawmaker said he had resolved to “leave darkness and move to light.”

According to him,: “If you can’t face the heat, you leave the kitchen. My decision is about my people. We must join hands to make Nigeria greater.”

He said he had resigned to join the good works of President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed and help the Edo State governor achieve his goals for the state.

Agbonayinma also said he would have decamped before now but for his colleagues in the PDP who kept begging him to stay back.

He said he could not cope with a situation whereby the PDP now has two distinct secretariats as a result of the internal crisis resulting from its recent national elective convention which produced Uche Secondus as the party’s national chairman.

The lawmaker described as corruption and impunity on the part of the party whereby one of the candidates for the chairmanship position, Mr. Taoheed Adedoja, has had his name removed from the list and a new “unity list” tendered.

“The unity list brought disunity,” he said.

However, in his remarks, Gbajabiamila had expressed concern that the continued defection of PDP members to APC had the potential to make the lower chamber to fast become a one party House.

He said the trend if allowed to continue, could reduce the vibrancy of the opposition in the House.

Nevertheless, he said: “We expect more defection to APC.”

But, sources told THISDAY that Agbonayinma had all along been seen as a black sheep in the PDP because he’s usually “neither here nor there.”