Twenty-four out of twenty-six lawmakers of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naijaonpoint reports that the defection was announced during plenary on Tuesday by the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong.

Otong confirmed that he had received letters of defection from PDP to APC from 24 legislators of the 26 members of the House.

The defecting lawmakers blamed their decision to defect on the internal disputes within the National Working Committee of the PDP.

The Speaker, however, did not specify if he was part of the group that defected, nor did he disclose the positions of the other two legislators who have not yet announced their decision.

However, reports have it that one of the two legislators is said to be Uduak Ekpo-Ufot, who represents the Etinan State Constituency and is recognized for his loyalty to former Governor Udom Emmanuel.

In light of the large-scale defection, the Speaker declared that Sunday Johnny, the representative for Onna Constituency, has relinquished his role as the House Leader.

The Chief Whip of the House, Effiong Johnson, representing the Mbo Constituency, has been appointed as the Acting Leader of the House until a new leader is chosen.

The defection of the lawmakers follows the earlier defection of Governor Umo Eno from the PDP to the APC.