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Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, a member of the House of Representatives from Zamfara State, has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
His defection was announced during Wednesday’s plenary session by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who read a letter from Gumi.
The representative for the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency cited ongoing internal and external crises within the PDP as his reason for leaving, highlighting a factional split in his constituency with two chairmen claiming party leadership.
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The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from APC members in attendance.
However, the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, challenged the defection, reminding the House that the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that lawmakers who defect from their party risk losing their seats.
He urged the Speaker to declare Gumi’s seat vacant in accordance with constitutional provisions.
Gumi’s defection comes just two weeks after he was appointed Chairman of the newly established House Committee on the North West Development Commission.