Taraba State House Speaker Kizito Bonzena and 15 PDP lawmakers defect to APC, giving the party full control of the assembly.
The Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Kizito Bonzena, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing issues with factionalisation within the PDP at the national level.
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Bonzena revealed that 15 other PDP House members have also submitted letters to defect, including:
- Deputy Speaker Hamman Adama Abdullai (Bali 2)
- Majority Leader Jethro Yakubu (Wukari 1)
- Tafarki Eneme (Kurmi)
- Akila Nuhu (Lau)
- Musa Chul (Gassol 1)
- Josiah Yaro (Wukari 2)
- Tanko Yusuf (Takum 1)
- Veronica Alhassan (Bali 1)
- Anas Shuaibu (Karim Lamido 2)
- Nelson Len (Nguroje)
- Umar Adamu (Jalingo 1)
- Joseph Kassong (Yorro)
- John Lamba (Takum 2)
- Happy Shonruba (Ardo-Kola)
- Zakari Sanusi (Ibi)
The Speaker emphasised that the defection is for the collective interest of Taraba State, not personal gain, and highlighted that the move gives the APC full control of all 24 seats in the House.
“Our people should not misinterpret this decision. It is for the interest of the state… We now have all 24 members of the House as APC members,” Bonzena said.
Former Speaker and Mbamnga Constituency representative Peter Diah welcomed the new members into the APC.
Bonzena also praised the House’s support for minority members in the past and expressed optimism that their defection aligns with the vision of President Bola Tinubu, marking a “new dawn” for the state.
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As it stands, there are no minority members left in the Taraba State House of Assembly, consolidating APC’s dominance.
