The member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West federal constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who announced the defection of the lawmaker at the resumed plenary of the House on Wednesday, did not aduce any reason for the lawmaker’s change of political party.

According to Abbas, he was only told to make the announcement by the House Leader while the APC Caucus cheerfully welcomed the new member into its fold.

However, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano), raised a point of order, asking that the seat of Nkwonta be declared vacant in accordance with the provisions of Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Madaki said while the section provides that a member can leave the party on whose platform he was elected if there is crisis in the party, the PDP in Abia State was not in any crisis.

But, Speaker Abbas ruled Hon. Madaki out of order, saying “information available to me indicate that there is a faction in the PDP.”

Apparently to appreciate his choice of APC, Hon. Nkwonta was appointed the chairman of the newly created House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC) shortly after his defection, with Hon. Sunday Nnamchi from Enugu State as his Deputy.

Also, the Speaker appointed Hon. Timehin Adelegbe (APC, Ondo) as chairman of the House Committee on Science Research Institutions; Hon. Kabiru Ahmadi (Mai Palace) from Zamfara State, chairman of the House Committee on Sport; Hon. Abubakar Gummi, chairman, Committee on North-East Development Commission (NEDC) and Hon. Nkemkanma was appointed chairman, Committee on Climate Change and Security Committee.

Other chairmen announced were Hon. Mohammed Mukthar in charge of Committee on Tourism; Hon. Zakariya Idris, chairman, Committee on Safety Standards, and Anayo Onwuegbu, chairman of the House Committee on Lake Chad.

Leadership