Defection Of 6 Kogi Legislators disheartening- PDP

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi has flayed the defection of six members of the state House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting to the defection executed on the floor of the legislative chamber at plenary on Thursday, Mr Bode Ogunmola, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, condemned the action.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the defection, Ogunmola said the legislators rode on the crest of the party into power and had only turned around to bite the fingers that fed them.

Ogunmola assured that the PDP would reclaim the mandate through constitutional provisions and extant laws governing elections, advising the defectors to vacate their seats immediately.

The spokesman described the situation as “indeed disheartening” that rather than joins hands with the party to take control of the state in the next dispensation, the members chose to betray the PDP.

On its part, the State Government, through Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Director-General, Media and Publicity to Gov. Yahaya Bello, said the APC was a revolutionary movement against poverty, underdevelopment and corruption.

Fanwo said that the new direction administration of the governor was working hard to serve the people of the state and help defeat poverty and criminality with the ultimate goal of taking the state to the Promised Land.

“The governor’s style of leadership must have attracted the legislators who defected to the party. Governor Yahaya Bello will continue to deliver on his promises and continue to strengthen the All Progressives Congress.

“Politics is about people and development. I am quite sure the constituents of the new defectors must have impressed it on them to join the Governor’s party as the party is becoming the most popular as Kogites experience leadership extraordinaire.

“As the leader of the party in Kogi, the Governor welcomes them to the APC fold and wishes to assure them that all will be treated equally in the party,”  Fanwo said.

He restated Bello’s administration to continue to work in the interest of progress and prosperity of the people.

The spokesman of the defectors and Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Matthew Kolawole, said: “The dynamism of politics as witnessed in recent times must be leveraged to reflect on our constituencies.

“This has been a pivotal factor that influenced our decision. Irrespective of the misconceptions and misrepresentation that our defection might elicit, we remain resolute in our quest to ensure a better life for the people of our various constituencies.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that John Abah from Ibaji; Adoke Bello, Adavi; Kolawole Matthew, Kabba-Bunu; Ahmed Mohammed, Ankpa 1; Victor Omofaiye, Ijumu, and Kekere Sani-Abdulkareem, Okehi of the PDP defected to APC at plenary on March 16.