UPDATED: Elisha Abbo, senator fined for assaulting woman, joins APC

Adamawa senator, Elisha Abbo, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He made known his decision to decamp in a letter to the Senate which was read out by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, at the start of plenary on Wednesday.

The announcement was made amidst cheers from mostly APC senators at the chamber.

In the letter, Mr Abbo said he chose to leave the PDP because of the “mismanagement” of the party’s issues by Governor Ahmadu Fintri of Adamawa State which has led to the recent crisis in the state.

He further said he has realised that no president in Nigeria has paid attention to the welfare of its citizens like President Muhammadu Buhari, ctiting the Trader Moni and other programmes as example.

“I hearby defect from the PDP with effect from today, 25th November, 2020,” part of the statement read.

“Today I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhamadu Buhari to build the Nigeria of our dreams.

“…In the history of Nigeria’s Nascent democracy, specifically from 1999 till date, no President has paid attention to the welfare of Nigerian Citizens like President Muhamadu Buhari as it is evident in packages such as Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), Homegrown School Feeding Program (HGFP), Trader Money, Market Money….

“Thus, in living up to the expectation of the good people of Adamawa North Senatorial District, I hereby defect from the PDP to the APC with effect from today being Wednesday, the 25th day of November, 2020,” part of the statement read.

His defection comes weeks after Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama ordered him to pay N50 million as compensation to Osimibibra Warmate, a lady he assaulted in 2019.

PREMIUM TIMES had in 2019, exposed the young senator caught on camera assaulting a woman in Abuja. The incident occurred barely three months after Mr Abbo was elected a senator and a month before he was sworn in on June 11.