“We Made PDP What It Is” – Defected PDP Lawmakers Defends His Fellows (VIDEO)

One of the 37 lawmakers who defected from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), has defended his colleagues, insisting that their seats are secure under the law.

Ali Ahmad, representing Kwara State in the House of Representatives, said this while discussing the political implications of the move of the 37 Reprs in light of the calls by the PDP leaders to declare their seats vacant at a Channels Television programme today.

Ahmad, the Chairman House Committee on Judiciary, claimed that the leadership of the PDP does not respect the constitution and the rule of impunity still abound in the party, whereby a single person would have the powers to dismiss members at will.

“If he calls a governor and that governor doesn’t answer his call, he suspends him. “Whether it is Alhaji Bamanga Tukur or it is somebody who is directing him, we know the party is not being governed according to the rules.”

Referring to their August 31 walkout from the PDP convention at the Eagles’ Square, Abuja, he said:

“We thought it was something that would easily be resolved, because it was resolvable. But we saw a lot of actions and activities that didn’t take us anywhere, and we believed that if we continued on that route, it won’t take Nigeria anywhere.”

Ahmad further said the reasons behind their defection had nothing to do with having an ulterior agenda as alleged by some quarter of the polity, claiming that this was the dummy some people sell to the people in power in order to get favour and attention.

Ahmad took on many allegations and permutations about the implication of their defection which he constantly referred to as misconceptions. One of these is the newly assumed status of the APC as the majority in the House.

“By the rules of the House, you would have majority leadership when your party controls the highest number of members,” he added.

He also debunked the allegation that they betrayed the PDP, which brought them into office, saying that in Kwara State, the party does not make the people; it is the people who make the party.

He took time to explain the lawmakers’ interpretation of the constitutional provision for cross-carpeting. He explained that Section 68, 1(G) is the constitutional provision on cross-carpeting from a party to another, and they have precedence in the case of Goni and FEDECO.

“Section 68, 1(G) provides that a member who changes his party would lose his seat, very clear but it says he would not (lose the seat) in two circumstances. Number 1, when there is a division or faction in his party…the second situation is that when there is a merger between his party and another party. “Those who are fuelling this propaganda choose what they want Nigerians to believe and they punctuate the sections of the constitution. So they put full stop at that point where the constitution says any legislator that defects will lose his seat.