The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, says Nigeria cannot afford to have a one-party state.
He stated this during the plenary as a member, Chisom Dike (PDP-Rivers), defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.
Mr Dike announced his defection, citing division in the PDP.
The defection letter was, however, read by the speaker to members.
Mr Gbajabiamila said ”the House had taken judicial notice of the division in the PDP, adding that on that note, Mr Dike should be admitted to the APC.”
He called on the Clerk of the House to, as a matter of urgency, compile the number of members in each political party in the lower house.
Meanwhile, Ossai Ossai (PDP- Delta) had objected to Mr Dike’s defection, citing relevant law to back his claim.
He said that a member defecting to another party was mandated by law to present a valid reason for such defection, adding that the PDP remained united.
The Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, earlier faulted the defection, stressing that ‘‘the APC was harassing and luring opposition to join its fold.”
He said that despite the level of insecurity, unemployment, kidnapping and decay in infrastructure, the APC is forcing people to defect to the party.
The House Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, taunted the minority leader that more opposition would still join the APC.
Mr Gbajabiamila, however, said ” it would be wrong to turn the country into a one-party state.”
The Country’s political space has recently witnessed a gale of defections, notably from the opposition PDP to the ruling APC.
Among those who defected are Governors Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, all of whom crossed from the PDP to APC.
Also, some Senators and members of the House of Representatives as well as other prominent members of the opposition party are involved in the series of defections.