By Akinwale Kasali
The wind of defection rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has continued as Hon. Ojema Ojotu, member of the House of Representatives representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency of Benue State, has officially dumped it for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Ojotu’s defection is coming a week after Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State alongside his loyalists officially joined the APC.
Announcing his defection the Deputy Speaker, Hon Benjamin Kalu, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary session, read the lawmaker’s defection letter on the floor of the Green Chamber.
It would be recalled that before Ojotu’s defection to the ruling Party, the APC produced 10 out of the 11 members that represent the various constituencies of the North Central State in the Green Chamber.
With Ojotu’s defection, the ruling APC is now in full control of all Benue Federal Seats in the House of Representatives.
Ojotu in his letter stated that his decision to leave the PDP is centered on the perennial crisis involving the PDP.
“After consultation with his constituents, family members and political associates, I have decided to dump the PDP for the APC,” he said.
Ojotu’s defection was challenged by the House Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, who called on the presiding officer to declare Ojotu’s seat vacant.
Madaki said, “Honourable Speaker, I rely on Constitutional Point of Order 68 (1) (g), which says that a member’s seat should be declared vacant if he leaves the party that sponsored his election, and if there is no division in that party that brought him to power.”
His Point of Order was countered by the House Majority Leader, Ibrahim Halims, who relied on Order 7 to argue that “When there is an unresolved crisis in a party and that party cannot resolve its crisis, the person concerned can leave to protect his future.”
Kalu officially welcomed Ojotu, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Inland Waterways, into the APC fold, assuring him of the Party’s support at all times
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