Two Nasarawa lawmakers defect from APC to SDP over primary election outcome
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Two lawmakers in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, have defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
- The defecting lawmakers cited ill-treatment during the APC primaries as their reason for leaving.
- The state assembly also advanced a bill to amend the Education Trust Fund Law, aiming to boost revenue and education standards.
Two lawmakers in Nigeria's Nasarawa State have switched allegiance from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP). Speaker Dr. Danladi Jatau announced the defections during a House of Assembly session in Lafia, stating the lawmakers cited mistreatment during the recent APC primaries as their reason for leaving.
"Some of us have accepted the outcome of the APC primaries in good faith," Jatau said, reading the lawmakers' letters. "While some of you did not and felt that you have a platform where you will excel. So, I wish you the best of luck in your new platform."
Some of us have accepted the outcome of the APC primaries in good faith. While some of you did not and felt that you have a platform where you will excel. So, I wish you the best of luck in your new platform.
In a separate development, the assembly moved to the second reading of a bill to amend the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund Law. Proponents believe the amendment will generate more revenue, create jobs, and improve education quality. However, the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Mohammed Oyanki, urged the assembly to first address a leadership crisis within the Trust Fund before amending the bill, suggesting collaboration with the executive branch to resolve the issue. The Speaker committed the bill to the House Committee on Education for further review.
There is a leadership crisis in the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund. So, it is better for the House to liaise with the executive in order to find a solution to the leadership problem in the State Education Trust Fund.
Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.