Two Bayelsa reps defect from PDP to APC over ‘leadership crisis’

Two members of the house of representatives from Bayelsa defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The legislators are Rodney Ambaiowei (Southern Ijaw federal constituency) and Oboku Oforji (Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma).

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, announced the lawmakers’ defection in a letter read during Wednesday’s plenary.

Ambaiowei attributed his decision to the protracted crisis in the PDP.

“This decision is burned out of the division in the national leadership of the PDP, which has sprinkled across the various structures and chapters of the party, creating confusion as to which faction is responsible for the party affairs,” he said.

“With this uncertainty, it has become difficult to perform my role and effectively represent my constituency.”

He said the defection has become necessary to offer his constituency “true representation”.

Oforji said while he has left the PDP due to the prolonged leadership crisis, he remains “deeply” grateful to the party that elected him to parliament.

The defection comes about 24 hours after Mansur Musa, a lawmaker from Kebbi, moved from the PDP to the APC.

Last month, Douye Diri, governor of Bayelsa state, joined the APC from the PDP.

The lawmakers’ defection further reduces the number of PDP legislators in the national assembly.