Protests as two House of Reps members dump PDP for APC Follow @Hitbizafrika

Peoples Democratic Party members in the House of Representatives protested on Thursday as two lawmakers dumped the party.

The two members defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress at the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, in Abuja.

The new APC members are the lawmaker representing Abuja Municipal Area Council/Buari, Mr. Zaphaniah Gisalo, and another member from Kogi State, Mr. Yusuf Tijani.

Gisalo, a ranking member, is the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Capital Territory Area Councils.

The latest defection drew flaks from the PDP members as this has brought their total number in the House to about 118.

The party had about 139 members when the 8th House was inaugurated on June 9, 2015. The ruling APC had 214 members.

However, the defections hitting the PDP lately have cut its numerical strength to around 118, with the APC being the main beneficiary.

In May, two popular members, Mr. Edward Pwajok (SAN), and Mr. Adamu Kamale, also defected to the APC.

In June 2016, the current APC governorship candidate in Anambra State, Mr. Tony Nwoye, dumped the PDP for the majority party.

On the same date, another PDP member from Benue State, Mr. Emmanuel Udende, left the party for the APC.

On Thursday, the PDP members kicked as they faced the reality of losing Gisalo and Tijani to the APC again.

The House Minority Whip, Mr. Yakubu Barde, led the protest, saying the claim of the defectors that the PDP had divisions was untrue.

He argued that the defectors breached Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution and should vacate their seats.

But APC members booed him instead, arguing that he was protesting because the defection was not in his favour.

They shouted on Barde to “sit down” and accept the fate of his party.

The Chairman, House Committee on Ethics/Privileges, Mr. Nicholas Assai, also opposed the defection on the grounds that the defectors were acting in violation of the constitution.

There was a mild rowdiness when the House Deputy Majority Whip, Mr. Pally Iriase, referred to Ossai as a “fake lawyer.”

Some PDP members, including the Chairman, House Committee on Health Institutions, Mrs. Betty Apiafi; Chairman, Committee on Banking/Currency, Mr. Chukwudi Jones-Onyereri; Chairman, Committee on Capital Market Institutions, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf; Mr. Karimi Sunday, Ms Boma Goodhead; and Mr. Ezekiel Adaji, demanded an apology from Iriase.

Rather than apologise, Iriase, on the advice of Dogara, stood up to say that though he mentioned fake lawyer, he could not have been referring to Ossai because “Ossai is not a lawyer and has never pretended to be one.”

Although, the protests continued, Dogara took sides with his APC colleagues by ruling that defection was allowed.

According to the Speaker, a lawyer by training, the constitution itself is vague on the definition of division.

“The issue of division in a political party is not defined in the constitution. That means we have to rely on the courts to define it,” Dogara stated.

He added that while a proper interpretation of the law was being awaited, members could continue to change parties at their own pleasure.