Another LP reps member defects to APC

Another member of the Labour Party (LP) in the House of Representatives from Plateau State, Dalyop Chollom, representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal constituency has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

His defection was announced by the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen which was conveyed through a letter read on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Announcing the defection, the Speaker quoted the lawmaker saying that, he defected from the LP to the APC after deep reflection and as a result of the crisis rocking the party in the country.

He said that the political future of his constituents is sacrosanct and believed that he would serve his people better in the ruling party.

However, the House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) raised a Point of Order and quoted Section 68 (1) (d) of the Constitution and called the defection a nullity.

He therefore prayed that the House rejects the letter of defection sent by the lawmaker.

Rep. Chinda said, “We cannot continue to put the cart before the horse. That letter you read was not right”.

The Minority Leader added that the lawmaker should provide evidence of his resignation from the party, but the Speaker said he had seen everything and was satisfied with what the lawmaker presented.

But Chinda said if the Speaker is satisfied, then he should follow what the Constitution stated about the seat of a lawmaker who defected from his party and moved to another party.

He added, “If you say the letter he wrote is in order, you declare his seat vacant”.

However, the Speaker said, he had gone through what the lawmaker presented and ruled the Minority Leader out of order.

Similarly, Rep. George Ozodinobi (Anambra, LP) said the defection was disheartening because the LP had no crisis of any form.

Senator Samuel Bako Lalong was in the chambers to witness the announcement of the defection of the Plateau State lawmaker.

Recall that five lawmakers consisting of four Labour Party (LP) and one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member defected to the APC last Thursday.

The four LP lawmakers who defected to the APC include; Rep.Tochukwu Chinedu Okere (LP, Imo), Rep. Donatus Matthew (LP,Kaduna), Rep. Akiba Bassey (LP, Cross River) and Rep.Esosa Iyawe (LP, Edo).

The daughter of the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, Rep. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu defected from the PDP to the APC.