Southeast PDP lawmaker reacts to defection rumours, reveals strong stance

• Abia PDP lawmaker, recently sworn into office, has reacted to the alleged defection rumour
• Aaron Uzodike, in an interview with the press, reveals his stance on dumping the PDP for the Labour Party
• Shortly after his inauguration, there were speculations that the lawmaker was forced to reach an agreement with the Abia Government to defect to the LP afterwards, a move Uzodike downplayed

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

Aaron Uzodike, the newly inaugurated lawmaker in the Abia State House of Assembly, has spoken on his alleged plans to defect to the ruling Labour Party (LP) in the state.

Uzodike, a member of the PDP, was sworn in on Tuesday, August 13, after several months during a member of the ruling LP in the state and Speaker of the Assembly Emmanuel Emeruwa, refused to inaugurate him, Vanguard reported.

The PDP lawmaker was finally inaugurated on Tuesday following intense pressure from various quarters.

His inauguration comes exactly 14 months after the Assembly was inaugurated on June 14, 2023.

Uzodike: "No plan to defect"

Meanwhile, shortly after his inauguration, there were speculations that Uzodike was forced to sign an agreement with Abia State Government led by Alex Otti to defect to the LP afterwards.

But speaking in an interview with Premium Times on Thursday, August 16, the lawmaker said he had no such agreement with the state government to switch to the Labour Party.

Uzodike said:

“We didn’t have such an agreement. Also, I don’t have any intention to defect to the Labour Party for now,” he said.“I don’t see any reason why politicians should be defecting to other parties; they’re all going there for their personal interest, which is to get a ticket to run in an election.“So, the most important thing for me is to perform well in this one that has been given to me so that if the Labour Party sees me as a performer, they will call me to come and contest an election because people are happy with me.”

Read more on defection stories:

• ADC House of Reps member defects to APC
• Hundreds of PDP members defect to APC in Osun
• Nigerians blast Atiku's former aide for defecting from PDP to APC

Lagos politician dumps ADC, defects to PDP

In another related development, Legit.ng reported that Funso Doherty, a chieftain of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos, has defected to the PDP.

The influential politician hinged the decision to join the PDP on his governorship ambition and the need for a united front to unseat the ruling APC in Lagos state

Doherty ran for governor of Lagos state under the ADC platform at the 2023 gubernatorial election

Source: Legit.ng