Less than 24 hours before the widely anticipated defection of Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), all sixteen PDP members of the Taraba State House of Assembly have resigned from the party and joined the ruling APC.
The sweeping realignment played out during Monday’s plenary session, where Speaker John Kizito Bonzina formally announced the defections.
Bonzina read letters from each of the lawmakers, all indicating their decision to leave the PDP and switch allegiance to the APC.
According to the Speaker, the lawmakers invoked Section 109 of the Constitution, which permits elected members to defect if there is a division within their political party.
In their letters, the legislators cited a prolonged leadership crisis rocking the PDP at the national level, pointing to the existence of two rival factions as evidence of deepening instability.
The defectors described the situation as one that has plunged the PDP into confusion, making it increasingly difficult for them to remain in the party.
After the plenary, they reaffirmed that unresolved internal conflicts, once seen as manageable, had now undermined the party’s strength and public confidence. Several lawmakers noted that they consulted their constituents before finalizing their decisions.
Jethro Yakubu, representing Wukari I, said the move was unavoidable, warning that the crisis threatening the PDP “has the potential to expunge the party from the country.” Musa Chul of Gassol I and Nelson Len, representing Nguroje constituency, similarly stated that staying in the PDP would endanger their political futures, prompting them and their supporters to align with the APC.
The mass defection marks a significant turning point in Taraba politics, especially as the state anticipates Governor Kefas’ possible crossover to the APC. With the departure of the 16 lawmakers, the 24-member State House of Assembly is now firmly under the control of the ruling APC.
Overwhelmed by the defections, the former speaker, Rt. Hon. Abel Peter Diah, who has been a staunch member of the APC in the House and the country at large, commended the defectors for deeming it necessary to cross over to the APC.
He applauded the speaker and his defected members for keying into the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that the state will benefit more from the federal government.