Kola Balogun, who represents the Oyo South senatorial district, resigned his membership in the Peoples Democratic Party (PPD).
The lawmaker officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He made it known in a letter to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, which was read in plenary on Wednesday.
He cited the lack of internal democracy in the party (PDP) at the state level for the emergence of leaders and representatives, as the reason for his departure.
He accused the state governor, Seyi Makinde, of ruling with impunity; A development, he said, has led to the existence of various aggrieved factions and groups within the party.
“The decision to resign was informed by the Oyo state governor’s reign of impunity which had led him to supplant the constitutionally assigned roles of party bureaucrats and party stakeholders and replace them with unilaterally declared decisions about who and who should emerge as the legitimate representatives of the people.
“These unconstitutional, blatant and dictatorial procedural violations for the rise of leaders and representatives of the people have led to the fragmentation of the party, leading to various aggrieved groups within the party and the mass exodus of key party leaders.”
The lawmaker also worried that the development had laid the groundwork for the party’s failure in subsequent elections and may also jeopardize the political future and interests of its constituents.
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Balogun’s announcement comes 24 hours after Lawan announced the defection of three lawmakers: former Senate Leader Abdullahi Yahaya, Adamu Aliero, who left the APC for the PDP, and former Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe, who left the PDP for the Great Party of Progressives. Alliance (APGA).
They all mentioned the lack of internal party democracy at the state level and also accused their state governors of influencing such developments.
Mr. Balogun’s defection brings the number of APC senators in the upper house to 70.