13 rep members switch parties

Thirteen members of the House of Representatives yesterday switched parties. At the resumption of plenary following the Sallah break, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, who presided over the session, read 13 letters announcing party changes by lawmakers. Out of the number, six members of the Oyo House of Representatives caucus defected to the APM. They include Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle, and Adigun Adekunle. In their letters of defection, the lawmakers cited the protracted internal crisis and leadership tussles within the PDP as their reason for seeking an alternative political platform to pursue their 2027 ambitions. With this development, Governor Makinde of Oyo State has carried six of the 14 members of the Oyo State House of Representatives caucus with him to the APM. Meanwhile, the PDP experienced both losses and gains on the floor of the House on Tuesday. In Bauchi State, Auwalu Gwalabe also left the PDP for the APM, while Shehu Dalhatu, representing the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP. In his letter of defection, Dalhatu stated, “After careful consideration of the issues in the APC and having consulted with my constituents, I have resolved to join the PDP.” Similarly, Delta State lawmaker, Etanabene Benedict, left the Labour Party (LP) for the PDP, citing the “crisis in the LP” within the South-South state. The PDP gained another lawmaker in Alex Egbona, who dumped the APC for the PDP, noting, however, that his “commitment to the House and his constituency remains unshakable.” In yet another defection, Edo State legislator Esosa Iyawe, who has defected three times within three years, again dumped the APC, this time for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). He blamed “irreconcilable differences with the Edo State chapter of the APC” for his decision. Additionally, Nasarawa State lawmaker, Gbefwi Gaza, announced his defection from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party.