Four senators from the current tenth Senate who were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent their respective senatorial districts have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They cited irreconcilable differences within the opposition PDP as the reason for their cross-carpeting in separate letters read in the Senate by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The letters were read by Akpabio, who gave the Senate Clerk permission to record them.
Senators Oluwole Olubiyi of Osun Central and Francis Fadahunsi of Osun East formally decamped on Wednesday. Senators Samson Ekong of Akwa Ibom South and Aniekan Bassey of Akwa Ibom North East are also involved.
The Senate’s current makeup, following the defection of the four senators, is as follows: APC 70, PDP 28; Labour Party 5, NNPP 1, SDP 2, and APGA 1.
Following the defection, a few members of the House of Representatives, former Labour and Productivity Minister Senator Chris Ngige, and APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru were present in the sacred chamber to show support for the party.
