The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost its majority status in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly with 24 out of its 26 members moved to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
LEADERSHIP confirms that two PDP lawmakers including Hon. Uduak Ekpo-Ufot representing Etinan and Hon. Sunday Johnny, Onna State Constituencies remained in the now opposition party.
At the plenary session on Thursday, Speaker of the House, Elder Udeme Otong, confirmed the receipt of resignation letters from the 24 lawmakers who cited unresolved internal crises within the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), as the major reason behind their defection to the APC.
Although Otong initially withheld his personal position on the matter, he later addressed the implications of the shift in the House’s leadership structure.
Consequently, he announced that Hon. Sunday Johnny, now part of the minority PDP bloc, would relinquish his role as House Leader.
In his place, the Speaker appointed Hon. Effiong Johnson, the Chief Whip representing Mbo State Constituency, to act in his stead pending the selection of a new House Leader.
Assembly sources, however disclosed that the refusal of the duo to join the APC may not be unconnected with what they described as loyalty to their political mentor and former Governor Udom Emmanuel who reportedly singlehandedly picked and bankrolled their elections.
