State House of Assembly Speaker, Deputy, and 15 Lawmakers Defect to APC
The Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Kizito Bonzena, along with his deputy, Hamman Adama Abdullai, have formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement came during a sitting in Jalingo, where the 17 lawmakers—including Bonzena—submitted formal letters confirming their defection.
The lawmakers cited increasing divisions within the PDP at the national level as the reason for their move, saying it made it difficult to remain in the party.
Other lawmakers who joined the Speaker in leaving the PDP include:
- Jethro Yakubu (Majority Leader, Wukari 1)
- Tafarki Eneme (Kurmi)
- Akila Nuhu (Lau)
- Musa Chul (Gassol 1)
- Josiah Yaro (Wukari 2)
- Tanko Yusuf (Takum 1)
- Veronica Alhassan (Bali 1)
- Anas Shuaibu (Karim Lamido 2)
- Nelson Len (Nguroje)
- Umar Adamu (Jalingo 1)
- Joseph Kassong (Yorro)
- John Lamba (Takum 2)
- Happy Shonruba (Ardo-Kola)
- Zakari Sanusi (Ibi)
Bonzena emphasized that the decision was taken in the interest of the state and not for personal gain. He urged residents to support the House as it now operates entirely under the APC.
Welcoming the lawmakers, former Speaker Peter Diah of Mbamnga described the defection as a “fresh chapter for Taraba,” noting that the House now has no minor
ity members following the mass defection.
