Two serving senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mathew Urhoghide (Edo) and Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo), have resigned their membership in the party.

Their resignations are contained in separate letters, read at plenary on Wednesday by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over the session.

Urhoghide, in his letter, said: “I write to formally inform you and the entire senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that I am resigning my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), effective immediately.

“This difficult decision arose out of the negative political energy emanating at the moment from the irreconcilable differences and squabbles within the PDP at the national level and especially in my dear state, Edo State.

“These squabbles have spiked to levels that have made it impossible for someone like me, who is a confirmed Democrat, to function and grow as I envisioned in my political journey.

“I am, however, grateful to the party which yielded me the platform to achieve the mission of serving my country as a two-term senator, which experience afforded me an opportunity to meet and work with all you wonderful colleagues.

“The opportunity helped to build and form important and lasting friendships here at the Senate. Above all else, it imbued in my knowledge and experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else.”

In his letter, Akinyelure said his resignation from the PDP takes effect on June 11.

He said: “This is to formally inform you and all my distinguished colleagues in the ninth Senate of the National Assembly that I am resigning my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from June 11, 2023.

“I, therefore, wish to express my appreciation to the party for granting me the opportunity to serve Ondo Central Senatorial District and Nigeria in the Senate of the 9th Assembly on the platform of PDP. This decision has come at this time since the ninth Senate is coming to an end soonest.”

He avowed that his resignation was to enable him to settle down and look forward to other areas of human and professional endeavors where he could be of value to Ondo State and Nigeria in general.