Bauchi PDP Lawmaker Defects To APM

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday suffered another setback in the House of Representatives as the member representing Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, Aliyu Misau, formally defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Naija News reports that Misau’s defection came barely days after four other members of the Bauchi caucus in the House of Representatives, elected on the platform of the PDP, dumped the opposition party for the APM.

The latest defection has deepened concerns over the PDP’s shrinking influence in Bauchi State.

The lawmaker’s decision was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

The letter was read during plenary on Wednesday. In the letter, Misau cited the PDP’s protracted leadership crisis as the reason for leaving the party.

“I would like to thank the PDP for the opportunity given to me to serve the good people of Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency. The leadership crisis in the PDP has made it impossible for me to continue to represent my people and contribute to the development of the constituency,” the letter read in part.

Misau’s defection is seen as part of the political realignment that followed the recent exit of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, from the PDP to the APM.

Since the governor’s move, several political officeholders and party loyalists in the state have either joined the APM or expressed interest in doing so.