By Lanre Adesanya
Even as the faction induced crisis continues unabatedly in the Peoples Democratic Party,the Lagos State wing appears to be dwindling in weight the more as one of the remaining two PDP lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Akande is set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a reliable source in the Assembly, Akande who is representing Ojo Constituency 1 in the House, has written a letter to the leadership of the House to effect his eventual change of party robe from PDP to APC.
The lawmaker who just returned from a two-week pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Israel last weekend decided to take the decision as he was no longer comfortable with the leadership crisis in the party.
“He told us he was tired of being tossed up and down by a party that seems to have lost direction. He used to belong to the faction of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of the PDP before he decided to be a lone ranger,” said a source.
The source added that Akande took the decision so that he could be on the side of the majority in the Assembly.
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It could be recalled that six out of the initial eight PDP lawmakers at the Assembly officially announced their defection to the APC on the floor of the House on February 16, 2017.
They cited outstanding performance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode among others as their motivation for the decision.
The defection was announced through a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa titled “Letter of Defection from PDP To APC” and dated 16th February, 2017 and signed by the defectors excluding the Minority Leader, who announced his defection on the floor of the House.
The lawmakers who defected are the Minority Leader, Hon. Akeem Bello (Amuwo Odofin the Minority II), The Minority Whip, Hon. Mosunmola Sangodara (Surulere II), and Hon. Olusola Sokunle (Oshodi/Isolo I).
Others are: Hon. Jude Idimogu (Oshodi/Isolo II), Hon. Dayo Famakinwa (Ajeromi Ifelodun II) and Hon. Oluwa Fatai (Ajeromi/Ifelodun I).
With the current defection move if consummated, the only lawmaker left in the opposition PDP in the House will be Hon. Oladipupo Olorunrinu (Amuwo-Odofin I).