Imo State House of Assembly Speaker Collins Chiji and six other lawmakers on Tuesday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Majority Leader Chigozie Nwaneri also defected to the APC from the PDP.
Their defection brings to 18 the number of APC lawmakers in the 26-member House.
Uju Onwudiwe of the Action Alliance (AA), who won last Saturdayโs rerun election, is yet to be sworn in.
The Speaker announced the defections during plenary on Tuesday.
The session, which lasted for 15 minutes, came to an end after the speaker announced the names of the defected lawmakers.
The lawmakers are Uche Ogbuagu (Ikeduru), Dominic Ezerioha (Oru West) Chigozie Nwaneri(Oru East), Kanayo Onyemaechi (Owerri West), Kennedy Ibe (Obowo) Onyemaechi Njoku (Ihitte/Uboma) and Eddy Obinna (Aboh Mbaise).
Obinna represents former governor Emeka Ihediohaโs town.
On Monday, Imo State PDP Chairman, Charles Ezekwem, defected to the APC and resigned his position.
In his January 25 resignation letter, Ezekwem said his decision was based on the prevailing circumstances in his party.
He said: โGiven the prevailing circumstances within my party, vis-a-vis my present standing as the state chairman of the PDP, and after due consultations with my family and with the approval of my supporters, I hereby tender my resignation as state chairman of PDP.
โI thank the teeming population of Imo State PDP who thoughtfully elected me as their state chairman.
โI sincerely regret the inconveniences the party faced. I thank the party for the support they gave me and the opportunity to serve in that capacity.โ
Ezekwemโs resignation followed the defection of the PDP Deputy National Auditor, Regis Uwakwe, to the APC after Governor Hope Uzodinmaโs inauguration.
Earlier on January 21, Imo Deputy Speaker, Mr Okey Onyekanma, resigned. He also resigned as chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business.
His resignation came at a time about nine members of AA, PDP and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) defected to the APC.
The defectors are Chyna Iwuanyanwu (Nwangele LGA, PDP); Innocent Egwim (Ideato North LGA, AA), Chidem Emelumba (Okigwe LGA, PDP); Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre LGA, AA) and Paul Emeziem Onuimo LGA, APGA).
Others are Ekene Nnodumele (Orsu LGA, APGA); Duru Johnson (Ideato South LGA, AA); SN Obiefule (Isu LGA, AA); Herculus Okoro (Ohaji-Egbema LGA, PDP).
