- …We’ll reclaim our mandate in the court – APC
The Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Aminu Manya Achida (APC, Wurno) and the member representing Wamakko constituency, Murtala Bello Maigona, have defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Achida, while announcing their defection on the floor of the house, said their decision was necessary in view of the current crisis in the state chapter of the APC.
He noted that the current performance of the leadership of APC in the state was not satisfactory.
“We, therefore, deem it necessary to decamp to the ruling PDP which we are satisfied with the way its government is running the state,” he said
Daily Trust reported that Achida had pitched his camp with the then Senator Abubakar Gada-led faction which lost out at the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court had reaffirmed the election of the Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko-backed state working committee.
It could be recalled that Achida was not the favourite candidate of his former party for the position of speaker during the inauguration of the then APC-dominated House in 2019.
At the time, APC had 16 members while the ruling PDP in the state had 14 lawmakers.
Members of the PDP unanimously nominated him for the position of speaker and with the support of the member representing Wamakko, who is the younger brother of a former Treasurer of PDP in the state, Mukhtari Bello Maigona, Achida succeeded in defeating the anointed candidate of the APC, Bello Isa Ambarura (APC, Illela).
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to reclaim the seat in the court of law.
Speaking to newsmen, the chairman of the party, Isa Sadiq Achida, noted that they were not surprised by his defection, saying he had been working with the PDP to cause friction and division in their party.
With their defection, PDP now has the majority with 17 lawmakers while APC has 13.