Two PDP Reps defect to APC

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has lost two more members to the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

They are Ahmed Tijani (Okene/ Ogori-magongo Federal Constituency Kogi State) and  Zephaniah Jisalo,, ( AMAC/ Bwari Federal Constituency)

The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara who read their letters in the chamber at plenary quoted the lawmakers as citing crisis in their party as reason for the defection.

Mohammed Bello, the FCT Minister led APC supporters to the chamber to receive the new entrants into the party.

But the PDP members in the chamber did not accept the decision as a spontaneous protest began immediately the Speaker read the defection letters.

This resulted in the plenary being held up for over thirty minutes due to the uproar.

Yakubu Barde, the Minority Whip, via a point of order insisted that both defecting lawmakers must lose their seats.

Barde, quoted Sections 68 of the 1999 Constitution  which states that the seat of a Senator or Rep member be declared vacant should he/she defect to another party, without a division in his /her party.

Also Nicholas Ossai ( PDP Delta) called on the Green Chamber to do the right thing by upholding the tenets of the Constitution, in other words, to ensure that both Jisalo and Tijani vacate their seats.

(THE NATION)