There is no end in sight to the current wave of defections in Nigeria’s political corridor, as nine senators from various parties officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during Thursday’s plenary at the Senate, news.ng reports.
The various parties from which the senators defected include the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Thursday’s defections mark a significant shift and political realignment in the upper legislative chamber.
Those who defected to the ADC include Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who left the Labour Party. Another defector is Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, representing Nasarawa South, who left the PDP. Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, moved from the PDP to the ADC.
Others include Binos Dauda Yaroe from Adamawa South, who left the PDP, while Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central, also left the PDP.
Senators from the South-East also made the move. Enyinnaya Abaribe, a key political figure in the region representing Abia South from APGA, joined the ADC. Two former senators from the Labour Party, Victor Umeh from Anambra Central and Tony Nwoye from Anambra North, also joined the ADC.
The last senator mentioned by the President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, was Lawal Adamu Usman, representing Kaduna Central, who moved from the PDP to the ADC.
Meanwhile, in the lower chamber, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu announced the defections of 12 lawmakers during Thursday’s sitting.
According to him, six members left the PDP to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while the remaining six dumped the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Labour Party to join the ADC.
