PDP senators kick as Lawan announces Abaribe’s defection

PDP senators kick as Lawan announces Abaribe’s defection

Mr Abaribe had in May dumped the PDP for APGA on grounds of a "shambolic electoral process in the state, driven by a procured court injunction."

Some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, faulted the defection of the former minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia, South) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

During the seemingly solemn and glum plenary session, the lawmakers raised several issues ranging from failure to consult the PDP caucus to breaching some provisions of the Constitution.

This was shortly after Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President, announced his (Mr Abaribe) defection from the PDP to APGA and his resignation as the Senate minority leader.

It was reported how Mr Abaribe in May left the PDP on grounds of a “shambolic electoral process in the state, driven by a procured court injunction.”

The lawmaker, who resigned about 48 hours after he withdrew from the state governorship race, also decried the party’s use of “an imaginary three-man ad hoc delegates and the exclusion of the party’s statutory delegates” in the primary elections to elect candidates.

Although Mr Lawan noted that the Abia senator had sent two letters notifying him of his defection and resignation, he did not read the letters. He simply made a verbal announcement.

“…Abaribe has decamped from the PDP to APGA. The position of the minority leader is now vacant for the PDP to fill. We wish him success…”

While he announced that APGA is now represented in the Senate, he said Mr Abaribe gave “good leadership” and “kept the majority party on its toes” and also supported the progress of the administration.

PDP senators kick

Shortly after Mr Lawan’s announcement, the Senate Minority Whip, Philip Aduda, raised a Point of Order – Order 42 – asking to explain the “circumstances upon which” Mr Abaribe left.

He would go on to say it was a controversial one and that the former minority leader “did not consult the minority leadership caucus” before making a decision to decamp.

He was, however, interrupted by the Senate President who said the circumstance was not a controversial one.

George Sekibo (Rivers) was next to raise a similar issue.

He said the PDP caucus was initially not aware of his reasons for leaving and that “if the reason was division in his state party”, he was expected to come to the caucus for discussions and interventions.

This time, Mr Lawan said everyone was aware the moment Mr Abaribe defected. He also said the senator’s decision to consult the caucus is his decision to make.

Other senators like Gabriel Suswam and Betty Apiafi made similar complaints, saying his defection contradicts Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution which says a member of the Senate or House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member “if being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by another 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.”

This law means any lawmaker who defects to another political party when the party on whose platform he was elected is not undergoing any form of crisis or is not part of a merger with two or more political parties, shall vacate his seat.

To this, Mr Lawan asked aggrieved lawmakers to “go to court.”

Mr Abaribe has moved on to obtain the APGA senatorial ticket.

He had been at loggerheads with the leadership of the PDP in the state after the party zoned its governorship ticket to Abia Central and Abia North Senatorial Districts in the state.

The lawmaker represents Abia South, the same as the sitting governor, Ikezie Ikpeazu, and the former was zoned out in the party’s new arrangement.

He is one of many top contenders (for various positions) to leave the PDP lately.