PDP Loses Ground in Senate as Three Senators Dump Party for APC

The opposition bloc in the Senate suffered a fresh political blow on Wednesday as three senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defecting lawmakers are Amos Yohanna, representing Adamawa North; Aminu Abba, representing Adamawa Central; and Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, representing Zamfara North.

Their letters of defection were read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In their separate letters, the lawmakers cited the prolonged internal crisis rocking the PDP as the major reason for their decision to leave the party.

According to them, the unresolved leadership disputes and persistent factional divisions within the PDP had weakened the party’s unity and undermined its effectiveness as a political platform.

They further stated that the lingering crisis had created deep structural fractures within the party, affecting its national leadership and overall stability.

The senators said their decision came after wide consultations with political associates, stakeholders, and constituents, stressing that joining the ruling party would enable them to better align with the national agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They also pointed to multiple court cases, leadership tussles, and growing factional battles within the PDP as factors that had created uncertainty about the party’s future.

With the latest defections, the PDP’s representation in the Senate has dropped sharply to 14 members, a significant decline from the 36 senators it had at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.

The APC has further consolidated its dominance in the upper legislative chamber, expanding its numbers from 59 at the start of the current assembly to 84 senators.

Other parties have also experienced shifts in their numbers. The Labour Party, which began with eight senators, currently has none, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) now has one senator, down from two.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), which started with two senators, currently has none, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retains one seat.

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which had no senator at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, now has five members.

The newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) currently has one senator, Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West.

The total number of serving senators now stands at 106 out of the constitutionally required 109 seats.

The remaining vacancies are Nasarawa North, which became vacant following the death of Godiya Akwashiki; Enugu North, after the death of Okechukwu Ezea; and Rivers South East, which became vacant after the passing of Barinada Mpigi.