Nine Senators dump different parties for ADC

Nine lawmakers in the Senate have formally switched their political allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The senators who announced their defection on Thursday include Aminu Tambuwal representing Sokoto South, Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Adamu Lawal Usman (Kaduna Central), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central), Ireti Kingibe (FCT), and Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South).

Among the defectors, five lawmakers left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), three resigned from the Labour Party (LP), while one senator exited the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Those who departed the PDP include Senators Binos Yaroe, Adamu Lawal Usman, Ogoshi Onawo, Aminu Tambuwal and Austin Akobundu. 

From the Labour Party are Senators Ireti Kingibe, Victor Umeh and Tony Nwoye, while Enyinnaya Abaribe left APGA.

The senators conveyed their decisions through separate letters read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. 

In the letters, they pointed to prolonged internal crises, leadership disputes, court cases and deep divisions within their former parties as factors that made it difficult for them to remain.

However, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe explained that his defection was part of a broader effort to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.

Senator Binos Yaroe also stated that his move to the ADC was motivated by the desire to work with like-minded Nigerians to protect the country’s multi-party democratic system and prevent it from drifting into a one-party structure.

Following the development, the current party composition in the Senate stands as follows:

APC – 87

 ADC – 9

PDP – 7

APGA – 1

NDC – 1

NNPP – 1

SDP – 0

LP – 0

The Senate presently has 106 members, with three seats vacant.