Nigeria, Feb. 12 -- Garba Koko, a member of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, has defected to ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Koko, who represents the Besse/Maiyama Yema federal constituency, announced his defection on Wednesday via a letter read on the floors by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.

The legislator said in the letter that he resolved to dump the PDP the "prolonged and protracted" crisis in the party.

However, Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader, countered Mr Koko, saying there is no protracted crisis in the PDP. "It is important to correct the erroneous impression. There is no protracted problem in PDP," he said.

Mr Chinda said that all political parties in the countr...