Defection: APC, PDP lose Reps to ADP, ZLP

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lost a member each to the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) respectively in the House of Representatives.

Whereas Olatoye Sugar (APC, Oyo) defected from APC to ADP, Akinlaja Joseph (PDP, Ondo) dumped PDP for ZLP.

“This is to notify this honorable House that I have officially changed my political party as a result of injustices and irregularities in my former party. This is in line with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended,” Speaker Yakubu Dogara announced to his colleagues from one of the letters conveying the new political alignment.

Meanwhile, Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-Jev (PDP, Benue) and the exponent of the Not Too Young To Run Act, Tony Nwulu (UPP, Lagos) both ratified their new party affiliation.

Both Orker-Jev and Nwulu had changed parties before the annual recess in July. While Orker-Jev dumped APC for PDP, Nwulu ditched PDP for UPP

According to Section 68 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, “being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”