By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
Core loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan in the House of Representatives have panicked over the defection of no fewer than 37 former Peoples Democratic Party to the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC.

The fear of the President’s men stemmed from unconfirmed allegation among members that the APC had concluded plans to take over the leadership of the House of Representatives and move against Jonathan and his interest groups in the House.

President Goodluck Jonathan speaking while been flanked by Alhaji Bamanga Turkur, PDP National Chairman (left) and Comrade Tony Nwoye, PDP Governorship Candidate in Anambra (right) with other PDP top stalwarts during the rally.

The allegation became so strong that some of the supporters of the President started sending out mails to their members, pleading with them to urgently turn out and block any move by the opposition to move against their interests.

One of the pro-Jonathan’s lawmakers from Enugu State, sent out a quick message to others in  Jonathan’s camp, pleading with them not to stay away from any meeting called by the leadership to avoid being supplanted by the opposition.

The PDP lawmaker said in a mail to others: “Dear colleagues, it is time up for Nigeria, its people, our democracy, our democratically elected President and our cherished House and especially, our laws.

“Please attend plenary today, tomorrow and always! Vigilance is the word… Our unity must be protected. And, our party, the PDP, is as in all democracies, supreme,” the lawmaker pleaded.

Vanguard learnt that it was the fear of the pro-Jonathan group that made one of them from Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, to fiercely oppose the move by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, to formally announce the defection of the 37 lawmakers to APC.

Chinda had stoutly opposed the attempt to announce the defection of the lawmakers, citing the pending case over the factionalisation of PDP in court and asked the leadership not to go ahead with the announcement of their defection.

The defection of the lawmakers caused a major stir in the House and raised the fear that there could be a leadership change as soon as the lawmakers resume from their Christmas break.

But a member of the leadership, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in confidence, said that the defection of the PDP lawmakers to APC would not lead to a major leadership change.

The legislator made it clear that neither the Speaker nor his Deputy, Ihedioha would be changed despite the apparent majority being held by the APC with the defection.

“We want to use the Deputy Speak to protect the Speaker and none of them will be removed.

“But what will happen is that the House Leader, Mullikat Akande-Adeola, may be removed in the New Year,” the lawmaker said.

With the latest defection of PDP lawmakers to the APC, the standing of the parties in the House of Representatives is as follows: APC: 171, PDP: 167, LP: 10, APGA: 5, Accord: 4 and DPP: 1.

With this, the APC needs ten more members to become the majority in the House while the PDP requires 14 members to retain its majority in the House.