There is no provision in Nigeria’s Constitution that prevents the movement of persons from one political party to another, Senator Magnus Abe has said.
Abe, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, made the statement against the background of a threat by PDP to sue its members, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP leadership had said it would ask the court to declare vacant the seats of such members in the National Assembly who recently joined the rival APC.
Abe told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that he would soon join APC in line with the freedom of association.
He said that the crises rocking PDP, which led to the defection of aggrieved members, justified his decision to leave the ruling party for APC.
“I am going to cross to the APC; even if it means that it is only one senator that will defect, Magnus Abe will be that senator.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of association. It says if there is division in your political association, you can cross,” he said.
Abe said that the walkout of some PDP members during the party’s convention led to the formation of a faction, which joined APC.
The legislator said that the country belonged to every Nigerian and urged the people to oppose the impunity carried out by some individuals and groups.
“Have people not been crossing over to the PDP? How many governors have crossed from other parties to the PDP?
“Governor Orji of Abia was not elected on the platform of the PDP and yet he is a PDP member today. Did his previous party hang him?
“Politicians have been crossing over to the PDP, and suddenly, you can’t say, people cannot cross from the PDP to other parties,” Abe said.
