The Senate on Wednesday formally received four lawmakers who defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), further consolidating the party’s majority in the upper legislative chamber.
The defecting senators are Ekong Samson (Akwa Ibom South), Etim Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East), Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), and Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central).
Following the announcement of their defections, the Senate suspended its rules to allow the presence of top APC officials, including the party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru; Osun State APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal; members of the House of Representatives; and former Minister, Chris Ngige, who were in the chamber to witness the development.
With the new additions, the APC now holds 72 seats in the 10th Senate, a significant increase from the 50 it had at the start of the current legislative session in June 2023. Meanwhile, the PDP’s presence in the Senate has declined to 26 seats, following a string of defections, including from the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, hailed the defections as a reflection of democratic freedom and party growth.
“This is not just about numbers,” Bamidele said. “We have a duty to remain committed to our party’s ideals and to work towards moving Nigeria forward. We value this momentum and will continue to build on it.”
