TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered a setback on Thursday following the defection Joshua Dariye, one of its senators, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dariye, a former governor of Plateau state, is leaving the PDP at a time the party is trying to mount a formidable opposition to the ruling party.

Senate President Bukola Saraki read the defection letter of Dariye at the end of plenary.

This is the second time that he would be leaving the PDP.

In 2011, he defected to Labour Party, where he contested the senatorial election.

But he returned to PDP in 2014. He explained that his decision to rejoin the party was because he was a founding member.

In his latest defection letter, he said, “after due consultations with my constituency, I write to notify you of my intention to cross over from the PDP to the APC.

“My decision is informed by the protracted division at the national level of the PDP that led to the massive movement of my supporters to the APC.

“Arising from this, I therefore write to formally inform you of my decision to go along with my supporters. I thank you for your understanding.”

Fielding questions from reporters, Dariye said most of his constituents had defected to the ruling APC and he wanted to be with them for effective representation.

“My people in the PDP have moved to the APC and there is no need to remain alone,” he said.

He is the chairman of senate committee on public procurement.