Five members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, announced these defections when he read 13 letters announcing the change of parties by lawmakers.
The defections to the APM followed the movement of Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde to the party from the PDP a few weeks ago.
Makinde emerged the presidential candidate of the APM for the 2027 election.
The members of the Oyo House of Representatives caucus who decamped to the APM on Tuesday included Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle and Adigun Adekunle.
In their letters of resignation, the lawmakers cited the protracted internal crisis and leadership tussle in the PDP as a reason to seek a political plan B to pursue their ambitions in 2027.
As a result ,Gov Makinde has switched allegiance with six out of the 14 members of the Oyo state caucus in the House of Representatives with him to the APM.
PDP lost and secured members on the floor of the House on Tuesday
In Bauchi, Auwalu Gwalabe also switched allegiance from PDP to APM, while Shehu Dalhatu, representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State, left the ruling All Progressives Congress for the PDP.
In his letter of pivoting, Dalhatu said, “After careful consideration of the issues in the APC and having consulted with my constituencies, I have settled to join the PDP.”
Also, Delta lawmaker, Etanabene Benedict, decamped from the Labour Party to PDP, citing “the crisis in the LP,” in the South-South state.
The PDP also secured another lawmaker in person of Alex Egbona, who decamped from APC to PDP, stating, however, that his “dedication to the House and his constituency remains unwavering.”
In yet another evasion, Edo legislator Esosa Iyawe, who had switched allegiance thrice in three years, again resigned from APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He blamed “unfixable differences with the Edo State chapter of the APC for his resolution.”
Nasarawa lawmaker, Gbefwi Gaza, announced his switch from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party.
