Angry PDP Reps walk out of plenary in protest over lawmaker’s defection to APC

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House of Representatives on Tuesday stages a walkout during plenary following the defection of one of their members, Mr. Raphael Igbokwe, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Igbokwe, representing Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte constituency of Imo State, had during the plenary of the lawmakers on Tuesday, made public his dumping of the PDP for the APC.

He argued that he had changed party since January when there was still crisis in the PDP.

The lawmaker who was first elected into the House in 2011, declared this in the presence of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was present at the sitting on Tuesday.

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Despite objections by the PDP members that there was no division in the opposition party based on the recent ruling of the Supreme Court, Speaker Yakubu Dogara allowed the defection to stand.

They had argued that the judgement barred members from leaving the party upon which they were elected to the House, saying that the consequence was to lose their seat.
Consequently, the PDP angry lawmakers walked of the plenary in protest.

They told reporters outside the chamber that they would return to court to seek reinterpretation of the Supreme Court judgment on member’s defection especially when there is no division in his or her political party.

They were joined in solidarity by members of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Labour Party (LP).

 

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