By Yemi Yusuf
Two Senate Committee Chairmen in the Ninth Senate, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, representing Edo South, and Senator Ayo Akinyelure of Ondo Central have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Senator Urhoghide who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Accounts said he was leaving the party effective immediately as a result of “the negative political energy emanating at the moment from the irreconcilable differences and squabbles within the PDP at the national level and especially in my dear state, Edo State.”
Senator Akinyelure who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions did not explain exactly why he chose to leave the party at this time but said the decision would “ enable me to settle down and look forward to other areas of human and professional endeavours where i can be of value addition to my dear State, Ondo State and Nigeria in general.”
In separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, the two senators fail to indicate if they planned to join the ruling All Progress Congress, APC, or any other political party in Nigeria.
The two letters were read by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta Central who presided over Wednesday’s plenary. According to the Senator from Edo State, he was leaving because the squabbles within the PDP, “have spiked to levels that have made it impossible for someone like me who is a confirmed Democrat to function and grow as I envisioned in my political journey.”
In his letter titled, “Notification of Resignation of My Membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)” Senator Urhoghide expressed gratitude to the party which “yielded me the platform to achieve the mission of serving my country as a two-term Senator which experience afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with all of your wonderful colleagues.
“The opportunity helped too to build and form important and lasting friendships here at the senate. Above all else, it imbued in my knowledge and experience that could not have gotten anywhere else.”
Similarly, Senator Akinyelure’s letter which announced that his resignation would take effect from 11th June 2023 when he must have completed his four years tenure in the Senate of the 9th Assembly, expressed “appreciation to the Party for granting me the opportunity to serve Ondo Central Senatorial District and Nigeria in the Senate of the 9th Assembly on the Platform of PDP. ”
