Three lawmakers join NDC in Edo Assembly

The Nigeria Democratic Congress is on track to become the main opposition party in the Edo State House of Assembly. This follows the defection of members from the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party to the NDC.

Babatunde Olukoga, the Edo NDC Chairman, sent a letter to the Assembly. He asked Speaker Blessing Agbebaku to acknowledge the defection of three members from their former parties to the NDC.

Olukoga mentioned the lawmakers as Charity Aiguobarhueghian from Ovia North-East I Constituency, Natasha Osawaru from Egor Constituency, and Omosigho Frank from Oredo East Constituency.

The letter also proposed Osawaru as the new Minority Leader and Omosigho as Minority Whip. "This is to notify the Edo State House of Assembly of the defection of three members to the NDC. We are also informing the House of those that have been nominated as officers of the minority in the Assembly," Olukoga said.

But Jonathan Ibhamawu, the Edo Assembly Majority Leader, asked the House to ignore the NDC’s letter. He claimed that proper procedures were not followed.

Ibhamawu pointed out that the three new NDC members should have announced their defection before their party could inform the House. Speaker Agbebaku decided to set the letter aside. He assured that the requests would be looked at once the proper process was followed.