- ‘Senator Ned Nwoko may abandon PDP too’
- LP jolted, threatens legal action against Reps who defected to APC
Fresh facts emerged on Thursday on how the member of the House of Representatives representing Ethiope West federal constituency in Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, was forced to dump the People’s Democratic for the All Progressives Congress.
THE POINT gathered that she was forced to defect from the PDP to the APC because of her exclusion by the Delta State chapter of the PDP.
Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, announced her defection from the PDP to the APC in a letter addressed to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
She was among the five members of the Green Chambers that dumped their former political organisations for the ruling party on Thursday.
The other four lawmakers were formerly with the Labour Party. They are Tochukwu Okere, Imo State; Donates Mathew, Kaduna State; Bassey Akiba, Cross River State; and Iyawu Esosa, Edo State.
In a letter dated Thursday, December 5, Ibori-Suenu addressed the PDP Chairman of the Ethiope West Council area, and explained that her resignation was due to her exclusion by the Delta State chapter of the party.
The letter, titled ‘Notice of Resignation of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as Member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),’ read, “Please be informed that by this notice I formally resign as a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect. I surrender my attached People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Membership Card, with membership number 0777144, in furtherance of my complete dissociation and disengagement from the People’s Democratic Party.”
Following the announcement of the defection on the floor, Ali Isa, minority whip, protested and called for the declaration of the seat vacant.
However, the call was ignored by the speaker.
Ibori-Suenu won the 2023 election on the platform of the PDP. Her father, James Ibori, who is widely held as a top notch in Delta and South-South politics, at a time, had political differences with immediate past governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa, largely seen as his erstwhile protégé.
James Ibori, a close ally of President Bola Tinubu, had a fall out with Okowa over the choice of candidate for the governorship polls in 2023.
Believed to be the strongman of Delta politics, the former governor supported David Edebvie for the ticket, but was defeated by Okowa, who was able to navigate Sheriff Oborevwori through the party primary.
James Ibori visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in the early days of the latter’s administration last year. They are both members of the 1999/2007 class of governors.
Asked if her resignation has anything to do with the 2027 governorship election in Delta State, a source close to the Ibori dynasty told THE POINT that Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu will be going back to the House of Representatives in 2027 but “she cannot remain in the PDP where her father is being disrespected. She has been sidelined in the PDP. They were no longer inviting her and her father for meetings and party activities. For almost three years now, have you ever seen Ibori participate in PDP activities?” the source said.
Asked why Ibori had not been participating in PDP activities in a state where he ruled for eight years, the source added, “Okowa (Ifeanyi) is claiming leadership of the PDP in Delta State and Ibori does not want to fight Okowa.”
When reminded that Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu holds a strategic position in the House of Representatives (she is the chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission), the source said, “Yes, but she has to have a political base. All controls of the PDP have been taken away from her and her father. She needs a new alliance which the APC provides.
The source also confided in THE POINT the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko, may also defect to the APC too.
“Senator Ned Nwoko is suffering the same fate. It is very likely that he is going to join the APC or another party for him to be able to return to the senate in 2027. He will definitely not get a return ticket from the PDP because Ifeanyi Okowa is interested in taking over from him (Nwoko).”
Omo-Agege excited with bolstering of Delta APC
Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate in the 9th assembly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has described joining the All Progressives Congress by Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu as “a powerful endorsement of our party’s unwavering commitment to progress, development, and transformation in Delta State.”
Welcoming her decision in a press statement he personally signed, the Delta APC leader said the party “remains unshakably committed to providing a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and work towards a common goal of building a better future for our people.”
Omo-Agege described Ibori-Suenu, daughter of the former governor of Delta State as “not just a valuable addition to our party; she is also a long-time ally and friend. We have collaborated on various projects and initiatives, and I can attest to her exceptional leadership skills, unwavering dedication, and unshakeable commitment to the welfare of our people.”
The statement reads:
“I am thrilled to welcome Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the Honourable Member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Her joining the APC is a monumental boost to our party’s surging strength and influence in Delta State.
“Ibori-Suenu is not just a valuable addition to our party; she is also a long-time ally and friend. We have collaborated on various projects and initiatives, and I can attest to her exceptional leadership skills, unwavering dedication, and unshakeable commitment to the welfare of our people.
“As the leader of Delta State APC, I’ve always been driven to build a strong, inclusive party that represents the best interests of our people. Ibori-Suenu is a seasoned leader with a wealth of experience and expertise that will undoubtedly propel our party’s growth and success.
“Her decision to join us is a powerful endorsement of our party’s unwavering commitment to progress, development, and transformation in Delta State. I’m excited to work with Ibori-Suenu to build an unstoppable APC in Delta State.
“Our party remains unshakably committed to providing a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and work towards a common goal of building a better future for our people.
“Once again, I welcome Ibori-Suenu to the APC and assure her of our unflinching support and cooperation as we work together to build a new Delta State.
Earlier on Thursday, Ibori-Suenu had announced her resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleging that the party has completely excluded her from all activities of the State chapter.
She also alleged in her notification of resignation letter to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas that PDP’s ongoing national leadership crisis has left the party divided into implacable camps.
LP jolted, threatens legal action against Reps who defected to APC
In the same vein, the Labour Party has expressed discontent over the defection of four of its members at the House of Representatives to the APC.
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced that the lawmakers—Chinedu Okere, Mathew Donatus, Akiba Bassey, and Esosa Iyawe—had crossed over to the ruling party, citing an “internal crisis” within the LP
Reacting in a statement, Obiora Ifoh, LP’s spokesperson, said the party will take legal action against the lawmakers.
The party condemned their actions as “inconsistent with democratic norms” and in violation of Nigeria’s Constitution, particularly Section 68(g), which regulates defections by elected representatives.
The LP noted that that the lawmakers’ defections could only be legally justified in the event of a division within the party or a merger
The party also called on Abbas to declare their seats vacant, arguing that their continued tenure was “illegal”.
“The defection, to us, is quite unfortunate and we condemn the action which is irrational, untenable, inconsistent and alien to all known norms for which democracy stands for,” the statement reads.
“Section 68(g) of the 1999 constitution is emphatic on when to defect and what happens when a lawmaker sponsored by a political party decides to jump ship.
“The Constitution states (g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;
“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored;
“Though, the Labour Party leadership is undaunted by the defection, it has however, elected not to allow it slide and has therefore instructed its legal team to commence the legal actions against the defectors.
“And to also commence the process of regaining our mandates in line with the 1999 constitution and 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
“The party will also approach the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare vacant the seats occupied by these former Labour Party members in line with the House Rules.
“It is inappropriate and unacceptable for these lawmakers to continue to function as representatives of their constituencies illegally.
“The party has also decided to open a ‘Hall of Shame’ register for these lawmakers or any lawmaker or elected officer of the party who engages in fraudulent acts of defection without first dropping the mandate obtained under the ticket of the party.
“The defected lawmakers will feature prominently in the register.”