The Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party in the state.

The speaker announced his defection during the breaking of fast Saturday night at the Government House, Bauchi, with Governor Bala Mohammed alongside PDP stakeholders from Ningi, Toro, Warji and Dass Local Government Areas of the state.

Mr Sulaiman was elected speaker under acrimonious conditions in June 2019 by 11 members of the 31-member House. The crisis led to emergence of a factional speaker who later submitted to the leadership of Mr Sulaiman 16 months later.

The ruling PDP had eight members in the House of Assembly at the inception of the ninth assembly as against 22 by the APC. Another opposition party, NNPP had one.

Mr Sulaiman said his decision to return to the PDP was as a result of his good understanding and working relationship with the governor and promised to work together for the best interest of the state.

“I want to use this opportunity today to officially announce to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed and other stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of my formal defection to the State ruling party,” Mr Sulaiman said.

“One of my reasons to return to PDP is in recognition of the exemplary leadership style of our Governor and his commitment to transforming the state.”

With Mr Sulaiman’s defection, APC now has 16 members while 15 assemblymen are of the PDP.