Garba Mohammed
Four senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing irreconcilable differences within the opposition party.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced their defection on Wednesday during plenary after reading their letters of resignation from the PDP, which were subsequently documented by the Clerk of the Senate.
The defecting senators are Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East), and Samson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South).
With their defection, the composition of the 10th Senate has shifted, with the APC now holding 70 seats, while the PDP has 28 seats. The Labour Party has 5 seats, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) 1 seat, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2 seats, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) 1 seat.
Prominent APC figures, including the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, were present in the chamber to show solidarity with the defecting lawmakers.