Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, has announced that 24 out of the 26 members of the Assembly have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Otong disclosed that he had received resignation letters from the 24 lawmakers, who cited unresolved internal conflicts within the PDP’s National Working Committee as the reason for their defection.

The Speaker, however, did not clarify whether he was among the defectors or reveal the position of the remaining two lawmakers who have yet to declare their stance.

One of the two lawmakers is reportedly Uduak Ekpo-Ufot, representing Etinan State Constituency and a known loyalist of former Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Following the mass defection, the Speaker announced that the House Leader, Sunday Johnny (Onna Constituency), now a minority PDP member, would step down from his leadership position.

In his place, Chief Whip Effiong Johnson (Mbo Constituency) was named Acting Leader of the House pending the selection of a new leader.

The defection came on the heels of a wider political realignment in the state, which saw Governor Umo Eno, along with members of the state Executive Council, federal and state legislators, council chairmen, councillors, and aides, move from the PDP to the APC.

Speaking at a reception for the new APC members on Saturday, Governor Eno said the defection was part of a strategic move to align Akwa Ibom with the federal government under President Bola Tinubu. (The Nation)