For the second time in a week, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has suffered another blow to its membership in the House of Representatives as another member, Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma, followed the footsteps of his party member, Mr Nnanna Igbokwe and defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Agbonayinma represents Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency of Edo, while Igbokwe who defected during the week, represents Ahiazu, Mbaise/Ezinihite Federal Constituency of Imo State
In his defection letter read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Agbonayinma said that he took the action because the PDP shut the doors against him.
“What made me take this step is that PDP is factionalised and has continued to promote impunity. You can recall that I did not participate in the party’s national convention of Dec. 9 held at Eagle Square in Abuja because I belong to the Ali Modu Sheriff’s camp, which tried to put things right in the PDP. Sheriff tried to end the impunity that has characterised the PDP by ensuring the return of the party to the people.
“However, the party members refused to allow internal party democracy thrive. Today, the party is factionalised; while one faction is at the Wadata Plaza, another is in Asokoro. This is not the way to go; the concocted unity list by the governors during the convention further deepened the crisis in the party.
“The PDP has shut the door against me and I have no other alternative than to heed the call of the people who elected me to resign from the PDP and join the APC,’’ Agbonayinma said.
He claimed that he was being intimidated by his colleagues in PDP for opting not to join a walk out over Igbokwe’s defection.
The House Majority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, said that “Agbonayinma took the right decision because his political philosophy is progressive’’.
However, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, on behalf of the PDP caucus in the house, bid Agbonayinma farewell. Onyema said that Agbonayinma’s exit from the PDP leaves the party in a better shape.
