From Fred Itua, Abuja
There was uproar on the floor of the Senate, yesterday, when Sunday Ogbuoji rescinded an earlier decision to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ogbuoji had, at commencement of the day’s legislative business, announced he was ditching the PDP, to join APC.
His announcement caused an uproar in the chamber.
“From my state, Ebonyi, to the national level, there is crisis in the PDP. I can no longer continue to be a member of that party. I am, therefore, announcing my defection to the APC, “ he said.
As he spoke, Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, pulled at the letter he read and urged him to sit down, although jocularly.
Other PDP senators rushed to Ogbuoji’s side, to persuade him to rescind his decision.
For over 10 minutes, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who presided at plenary, could not call lawmakers to order.
While APC members made attempts to usher Ogbuoji to their side of the chamber, PDP senators protested vehemently.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce eventually intervened and convinced Ogbuoji to jettison his defection and allow the PDP caucus intervene on the crisis in the state.
After the mild drama, Ogbuoji, recanted.
“After a brief talk with my colleagues, I have decided to put my defection on hold. I will make more consultations with my people and the leadership of the party. For now, I withdraw my plans to defect to the APC,” Ogbuoji said.
Ogbuoji who represents Ebonyi South, had earlier announced his defection to the APC in December 2017.
It should be a policy of every party that an elected politician who decides to defect should loose his seat as well. When we vote for an individual we are voting for the party he or she represents probably because we buy into the party’s manifesto. If their representative leaves the party he should be recalled by the party, there should be another in-house election to replace him or her or else their original party will be short-changed during an important vote.
These politicians think they are more important than they really are. The electorates are their employers, they should be accountable to their electorate and cannot hand over a whole ward or consistency to an opposing party at their will and caprices. They need to take their job seriously, they are not exactly self employed.