The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, on Wednesday, announced the defection of Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gummi from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gummi, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, hinged his defection on alleged disorganisation and lack of structure in the Zamfara PDP.
The lawmaker said his defection was “…as a result of the lingering and unresolved internal and external crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
His letter to the Speaker partly reads, “It is noteworthy to state here that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has two chairmen in my constituency, Gummi and Bukkuyum Federal Constituency. One was unconstitutionally removed while the other decamped with me.
“Hence, the party lacks structure in my constituency and this has made it impossible to provide good representation and prompt delivery of dividends of democracy to my constituents.”
Two weeks ago, the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) claimed that the internal crisis rocking the party at the national level had been resolved.
The forum’s Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed, said stakeholders within the party had agreed that all the suspension of executives within the National Working Committee (NWC) be set aside and the status quo maintained.
He said that the forum, alongside the National Assembly caucus and the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), had met and reaffirmed that there was no faction in the party.
“There is no faction; everything has reverted to the status quo under the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, pending the time the governors and other organs of the party will sit down and resolve all the issues.
“There is no party that does not have problems. Some of them are legal, and we do not want to preempt the outcome of the legal procedures.
“So, whatever speculations and perceptions that might have gone out are wrong.
“Both parties have agreed that in the interest of the party and Nigeria, we should return to the status quo before the suspension and counter-suspension.
“These suspensions have been lifted; there are no more suspensions. That is the resolution of the PDP-GF,” he said.