BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
Majority Leader in the Edo House of Assembly, Donald Okugbe (PDP – Akoko-Edo II), alongside three other lawmakers have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday.
The other lawmakers are Bright Iyamu (PDP – Orhionmwon South II); Richard Edosa (PDP – Oredo West); and Sunday Ojezele (LP – Esan South East).
By the defection, APC now has 13 members in the House while PDP has 11.
The lawmakers, who were received at the APC Secretariat in Benin, by the Acting State Chairman, Jarret Tenebe, cited deep divisions and unresolved crises within their former parties as reasons for their defection.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Edosa described the move as a “defining moment”.
He said that they believed in the vision of Gov. Monday Okpebholo and were committed to working with him to advance the state’s development.
Welcoming them into the party, Tenebe said that their decision to join APC was a bold step toward a better future for Edo State.
He said that they would enjoy equal rights and privileges like every other member.
The APC chairman praised their courage and noted that their defection strengthened the party’s collective resolve to improve governance, security, and economic development in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was capped with a symbolic handing over of APC brooms to the defecting lawmakers, marking their official entry into the ruling party.
Last week, it was reported that the state chapter of PDP accused the Monday Okpebholo-led government of planning to spend a whopping N2.8 billion to bribe 14 opposition lawmakers to defect to the APC.
In a statement issued by Chris Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP State Caretaker Committee, it was alleged that N200 million had been allocated to bribe each lawmaker.
