The speaker of the Taraba House of Assembly, Kizito Bonzena, and 15 other members have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Bonzena announced their resignation from PDP on Monday in Jalingo, on behalf of his colleagues.

The speaker said their decision to move to APC was due to the factionalisation of PDP at the national level.

Mr Bonzena stated that the defectors had forwarded their letters to move from PDP to APC.

He listed the members to include Deputy Speaker, Hamman-Adama Abdullai (Bali 2 Constituency), majority leader Jethro Yakubu (Wukari 1 Constituency), Tafarki Eneme (Kurmi Constituency), Akila Nuhu (Lau Constituency), Musa Chul (Gassol 1 Constituency), and Josiah Yaro (Wukari 2 Constituency).

Others are Tanko Yusuf (Takum 1 Constituency), Veronica Alhassan (Bali 1 Constituency), Anas Shuaibu (Karim Lamido 2 Constituency), Nelson Len (Nguroje Constituency), Umar Adamu (Jalingo 1 Constituency), Joseph Kassong (Yorro Constituency), John Lamba (Takum 2 Constituency), Happy Shonruba (Ardo-Kola Constituency), and Zakari Sanusi (Ibi Constituency).

The speaker further stated that the decision was not personal but for the collective interest of the state.

“Our people should not misinterpret this decision of ours. It is in the interest of Taraba. We now have all 24 members of the House as APC members,” he said.

Former speaker and member representing Mbamnga Constituency, Peter Diah, welcomed the speaker and other members into his party, the APC.

Mr Diah also said the House had been generous to him and other APC members when they were in the minority, but he is happy that they have all now keyed into the vision of President Bola Tinubu and have joined them.

He prayed that their movement would be a new dawn for Taraba State and its people, having joined the party at the centre.

There is no minority leader in the Taraba State House of Assembly, as all 24 members are now in the APC. 

(NAN)