BEVERLY HILLS, February 22, (THEWILL) – Wednesday witnessed a rowdy session in the House of Representatives as a lawmaker announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
In justifying his cross-carpeting, Mr. Emmanuel Ukoette, who represents a federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State, said the PDP was in factions so much so that he no longer knew whether there was still a political party.
“I have decided to join the APC, where there is focus,” he told his colleagues.
But the reason given for the defection did not go down well with PDP members in the House who shouted Ukoette down, accusing him of being a “disappointment” to the opposition party.
The drama became intense when APC lawmakers promptly came to the defence of Ukoette, saying that he had taken the right decision.
The Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor, also exchanged words over the decision of Ukoette.
As Ogor rose to oppose the defection with a point of order, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara took sides with Ukoette and Gbajabiamila.
Dogara said, “Before the Minority Leader speaks, he must first tell us which PDP he belongs to.
“Are you in the (Ahmed) Makarfi group or the Sheriff group? Tell us,” he lampooned.
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