The post primaries fever catching ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) roared its head again at the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, as two members of the party announced their resignation from the party.
Whereas the member representing ruling Akoko South-West and South-East in Ondo State, Babatunde Kolawole joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the second, Mukaila Kazzim representing Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency in Ogun State is yet to name his new party affiliation.
Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, read their letters announcing their resignations from APC at the plenary.
The letters showed that both lawmakers blamed their resignations on the APC over how the party managed its primaries and fielded its candidates.
WhereasKolawole said the APC had derailed from its change mantra, alleging that there were imposition of candidates, zoning arrangements and ‘godfatherism,’ among others, during the primaries held by the party in Ondo, Kazzim averred that he left the APC due to irreconcilable differences following the House of Representatives’ primary held on October 7, 2018, by the APC chapter in Ogun.
A minor drama ensued as a member, Mr. Aminu Suleiman from Kano, urged Dogara to declare their seats vacant, alleging that the defections were not in accordance with the provisions of Section 68(1) of the Constitution, but the request was instantly ruled Suleiman out of order by the Speaker.
The latest defection has continued to shrink the gap between the two leading rival political patties at the Federal House of Representatives even as 2019 elections draw nearer.
