Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have rejoiced over the defection of Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma saying his exit is good riddance to bad rubbish.
Agbonayinma, who represents Edo State in the house, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday describing the PDP as “darkness”, where he could no longer belong because he had seen the “light” in his new political platform.
“The PDP has shut the door against me”, he told the House in his letter read by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.
But unlike the previous defections in which the PDP lawmakers protested, the legislators were joyous and wished the proselyte well.
PDP members, including the Minority Whip, Mr. Yakubu Barde; Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Chukwuka Onyema; Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs. Binta Bello; Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje; and the Chairman, Committee on Public Petitions, Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, danced as they bade Agbonayinma goodbye.
They chorused, “Agbonayinma, bye-bye; Agbonayinma, bye-bye; we wish you luck.”
Speaking on the floor of the hose, Onyema stated that although the PDP opposes defection, the party was happy that Agbonayinma was leaving.
“He is like a tumour. You know when you have cancer and it is cured, you feel happy because it has left you. The PDP house will be better without Agbonayinma being with us. So, Agbonayinma, bye-bye,” he said.
Addressing the media later, Agbonayinma who belonged to the Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP before the Supreme Court’s decision sacked Sheriff said he had observed that in spite of efforts made to rescue the PDP, it appeared to be set on “dying, dying, and will be dead.”
“PDP is totally factionalised and a house that is divided against itself will not stand. I decided to leave because I couldn’t face the heat in the dark house.
“I left darkness for light. The so-called unity list that produced the current leaders of PDP only brought more disunity to the party,” he said.
