Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Collins Chiji, has defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Seven other lawmakers equally joined the ruling APC from the PDP.

The speaker announced his defection and that of his colleagues during a plenary on Tuesday.

Ironically, the House of Assembly member representing Aboh Mbaise, the same Local Government as the PDP governorship flagbearer Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha was among those to defect to the APC today.

The plenary, which lasted for 15 minutes, came to an end after the speaker announced the names of the defecting lawmakers.

Apart from the speaker, others who defected are

(1) Oru EAST….Hon Chigozie Nwaneri
(2) Oru West…..Hon Dominic Ezerioha
(3) Owerri West..Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi
(4) Obowo….Hon Kennedy Ibe
(5) Ikeduru….Hon Uche Ogbuagu
(6) Ihitte Uboma…Hon Michael Crown.
(7) Aboh Mbaise…Hon Eddie Obinna
(8) Isiala Mbano….Rt Hon Chiji Collins (Speaker)

With the defections, APC now has 18 lawmakers with PDP having eight in the Imo State House of Assembly.

Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba), who was declared the winner of the supplementary election held Saturday, on Action Alliance platform, is yet to be sworn-in by the speaker.

The State party Chairman Chief Charles Ezekwem had yesterday tendered his resignation and defected to the APC while Uche Ogbuagu made his resignation letter public yesterday.