By Boluwajo Obahopo

LOKOJA—THE Deputy Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Ali Akuh (PDP, Omala), yesterday, resigned his position, even as Hassan Abdullahi (APC, Okura) was elected new Deputy Speaker.

Akuh’s resignation came barely one week after six members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers defected to All Progressive Congress, APC.

Akuh, in his letter of resignation read during the plenary by the Speaker, Ahmed Umar, said: “After exhaustive discussions with my family, my party, PDP, the critical stakeholders from my constituency, Omala Local Government Area, I have decided to throw in the towel as the Deputy Speaker of the sixth Assembly.”

The former Deputy Speaker thanked his colleagues for their support and doggedness to institutionalise and deepen democracy.

Aside the Majority Leader, Kolawole Matthew (Kabba/Bunu), who retained his position despite cross carpeting to APC last Thursday, other principal positions experienced a shake up.

Ahmed Mohammed (Ankpa I), Deputy Majority Leader; Bello Abdullahi (Ajaokuta) Chief Whip; Muktar Adoke (Adavi) Deputy Chief Whip; Godwin Osiyi (Ogori/Magongo) Minority Leader; Toyin Lawal (Yagba West) Deputy Minority Leader; Sunday Shigaba (Bassa) Minority Whip; and Friday Ali (Ofu), Deputy Minority Whip.

Meanwhile, the numbers of PDP legislators suffered another setback when Jimoh Musa (Yagba East) defected to APC, saying his decision was based on the protracted leadership crisis in PDP at the national level.