Akwa Ibom PDP Lawmaker Defects to APC

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday lost a member, as Hon. Ukoette Emmanuel Isaac defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, read Ukoette’s letter announcing his defection to applause from APC members at the plenary.

According to the letter, the lawmaker representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam federal constituency defected, due to the failure to resolve lingering crises in the PDP, resulting in two factions laying claim to the leadership of the party.
Ukoette added that the crises deviate from the ideals of the founding fathers of the party, leaving him in a fix as he does not support any of the factions.

While APC members rallied round the defecting lawmaker, the Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, tried to register a protest, but his voice could not be heard above the chants of ‘change’.
Dogara called the House to order, recognised Ogor to make his point of order, but first threw a jibe at the Minority Leader.

“The minority leader has a point of order. He will tell us his name, and then tell us which faction he belongs to,” he said, eliciting laughter from Ogor and other lawmakers in attendance.
Ogor expressed displeasure at the latest defection.

“Democracy is not about jumping ship anyhow. People cannot withstand heat, our party has internal squabbles just like any other party,” he said.
Ogor’s argument that there is no faction in the PDP elicited another round of laughter from the lawmakers.