TWO members of the minority Labour Party (LP) in the Delta State House of Assembly yesterday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors are the Minority Whip and member representing Udu Constituency, Hon. Peter Uviejitoboe, and the member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Hon. Evance Ivwurie.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, who presided over plenary read separate letters from Hon. Peter Uviejitoboe and Hon. Evance Ivwurie informing the House of their defection from the Labour Party to the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to the letters, Hon. Uviejitoboe and Hon. Evance Ivwurie said they defected to the PDP following irreconcilable crisis rocking the national leadership of the Labour Party, which caused division in the party.
They said the crisis had led to different factions within the party’s national working committee and national executive council, thereby rendering the party ineffective.
The lawmakers noted that their decision to defect was borne out of wide consultations with their constituents and leaders on whose mandate they were elected into the House.
According to Hon. Uviejitoboe and Ivwurie, they could no longer remain in the party, stressing that they were defecting with their teeming supporters.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Tim Owehfere, later introduced Hon. Uviejitoboe and Ivwurie to the PDP caucus in the House, where they exchanged pleasantries with the members.
In an interview, Hon. Peter Uviejitoboe said his defection was in line with the provision of Section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, stressing that being in the PDP would enable him attract more dividends of democracy.
Also at plenary, a bill for a law to provide the state statistical system and the State Bureau of Statistics for the collection, compilation, analysis, storage and dissemination of statistical data information in Delta State passed the first reading.
The Chief Whip and member representing Oshimili North, Hon. Pat Ajudua, presented the bill and moved for the first reading and was seconded.
The House yesterday also urged the state Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to urgently intervene and stop the alleged encroachment of the Edo State Government into Delta State under the guise of Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Michelin Rubber Company.
The motion was moved under matters of urgent public importance by the member representing Ukwuani Constituency, Hon. Alphonsus Ojo, and seconded by Hon. Rubeun Izeze.
Opening the debate, Hon. Ojo said Edo State was encroaching into Umutu land in Delta State under the guise of PPP, stressing that the farmlands belonging to his people were under threat as tension was mounting in the area and urged the governor to intervene in order to ensure that peace prevailed in the area.
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