- Wasiu Adekunle Adejumo | Premier World News
Senate President Godswill Akpabio sparked reactions during plenary at the Nigerian Senate after openly mocking the state of opposition parties while announcing fresh defections by several lawmakers.
The moment occurred yesterday as Akpabio read a formal letter notifying the chamber of the defection of former Sokoto State governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
While processing the correspondence on the Senate floor, the Senate President paused and appeared amused by the series of defections affecting opposition parties.
“Oh, PDP is gone!” Akpabio exclaimed, laughing as he addressed fellow lawmakers.
He continued with another jab after noting additional resignations involving the Labour Party.
“Even Labour Party is dead. I’ve read about three different political parties now”, he said.
Opposition Realignment in the Senate:
Tambuwal’s move is part of a wider political realignment in the Senate, where several lawmakers from different opposition platforms have defected to the ADC, reshaping the minority bloc in the upper chamber.
Among those reported to have joined the ADC are senators including Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh, Ireti Kingibe, Tony Nwoye, Augustine Akobundu, Ogoshi Onawo and Binos Yaroe.
The defections have intensified discussions about the shifting balance of power within the National Assembly and the future of Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Akpabio Rejects Allegations Against APC:
Addressing speculation that the ruling party may be fueling the crises within opposition ranks, Akpabio dismissed such claims, insisting the problems stem from internal leadership struggles within the parties themselves.
“You cannot accuse the ruling party of tampering with their leadership because here you have APGA, you have Labour, you have MVP and all those things”, he said.
“So all of them have a problem. They’ve not been able to put their parties together. So APC cannot be blamed for this”.
The Senate President maintained that while opposition parties grapple with internal divisions and defections, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) remains focused on governance.
Growing Political Shifts:
Premier World News reports that the growing wave of defections in the National Assembly reflects deepening fractures within opposition parties, particularly the PDP and Labour Party, which have faced prolonged internal leadership disputes and factional battles in recent years.
The movement of lawmakers across party lines has also fueled debate about Nigeria’s evolving political landscape, with some observers warning that persistent defections could weaken the country’s multi-party opposition structure.
