Eleven senators yesterday formally
defected from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the
opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
They submitted a jointly-signed letter
to Senate President David Mark, notifying him of their cross carpeting,
said a statement by APC spokesman Lai Mohammed.
Two of the defecting senators confirmed to Daily Trust that they did submit a letter, but that letter was not read during yesterday’s plenary session and no explanation was given.
The defectors include former Gombe State Governor Mohammed Danjuma Goje, former Kwara Governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Adamu, and another former Kwara Governor Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi.
Others are Magnus Abe and Wilson Ake from Rivers, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo from Adamawa, Umaru Dahiru and Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir from Sokoto, Mohammed Ali Ndume from Borno and Aisha Jummai Alhassan from Taraba.
With this, the PDP now has 62 senators, down from its initial 73, while the APC has 43 senators. The remaining seats are controlled by Labour Party with 3 senators and APGA with 1.
The joint letter submitted by the 11 senators was titled, “Notification of Change of political Party.”
In it, they said “this action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalisation in the PDP that sponsored our elections into the Senate. In view of the above, we write to inform you that following the division and factionalisation in the PDP, we have formally joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“This communication is made pursuant to section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) for your information, guidance and record purposes.”
The defection yesterday brings an end to weeks of speculations regarding the exact number of senators leaving the ruling PDP, following the cross carpeting of 37 House of Representatives members in December.
But it was an anti-climax for the main opposition party, as the number of defecting senators plummeted by half from the 22 who initially identified with the defunct ‘New PDP’ that merged with APC late last year.
Senators Goje and Bindo confirmed to Daily Trust yesterday that they submitted a joint letter to the Senate President on their defection.
“I don’t know why he didn’t read the letter, it is left to him. Go and ask David Mark why he didn’t read the letter,” Goje said, when asked why Mark did not present the letter in the chambers.
“We have done our own part, we have given him the letter, whatever he wants to do with it it’s left for him. (If) he wants to read it, tear it or keep it, that is not my job. We have done our own part.”
Senate spokesman Eyinnaya Abaribe had said on Tuesday that any defecting senator needed to submit a separate letter, and not a jointly-signed letter with others.
Goje said yesterday that there was no need for them to write separate letters announcing their change of political party.
“I don’t know about that. But remember, members of the House of Representatives defected via a joint letter,” he said.
When contacted on why the Senate President did not read the defection letter in the Senate yesterday, his spokesman Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said: “I am not aware that the Senate President has any letter.”
Earlier yesterday, APC spokesman Mohammed issued a short statement around 12.40pm in which he said: “Eleven senators elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party this morning defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). A formal letter to this effect has been delivered to Senate President David Mark and is expected to be read on the floor of the Senate this afternoon. This is only the first installment of many other senators of the People’s Democratic Party expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress soon.”
Two of the defecting senators confirmed to Daily Trust that they did submit a letter, but that letter was not read during yesterday’s plenary session and no explanation was given.
The defectors include former Gombe State Governor Mohammed Danjuma Goje, former Kwara Governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Adamu, and another former Kwara Governor Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi.
Others are Magnus Abe and Wilson Ake from Rivers, Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo from Adamawa, Umaru Dahiru and Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir from Sokoto, Mohammed Ali Ndume from Borno and Aisha Jummai Alhassan from Taraba.
With this, the PDP now has 62 senators, down from its initial 73, while the APC has 43 senators. The remaining seats are controlled by Labour Party with 3 senators and APGA with 1.
The joint letter submitted by the 11 senators was titled, “Notification of Change of political Party.”
In it, they said “this action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalisation in the PDP that sponsored our elections into the Senate. In view of the above, we write to inform you that following the division and factionalisation in the PDP, we have formally joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“This communication is made pursuant to section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) for your information, guidance and record purposes.”
The defection yesterday brings an end to weeks of speculations regarding the exact number of senators leaving the ruling PDP, following the cross carpeting of 37 House of Representatives members in December.
But it was an anti-climax for the main opposition party, as the number of defecting senators plummeted by half from the 22 who initially identified with the defunct ‘New PDP’ that merged with APC late last year.
Senators Goje and Bindo confirmed to Daily Trust yesterday that they submitted a joint letter to the Senate President on their defection.
“I don’t know why he didn’t read the letter, it is left to him. Go and ask David Mark why he didn’t read the letter,” Goje said, when asked why Mark did not present the letter in the chambers.
“We have done our own part, we have given him the letter, whatever he wants to do with it it’s left for him. (If) he wants to read it, tear it or keep it, that is not my job. We have done our own part.”
Senate spokesman Eyinnaya Abaribe had said on Tuesday that any defecting senator needed to submit a separate letter, and not a jointly-signed letter with others.
Goje said yesterday that there was no need for them to write separate letters announcing their change of political party.
“I don’t know about that. But remember, members of the House of Representatives defected via a joint letter,” he said.
When contacted on why the Senate President did not read the defection letter in the Senate yesterday, his spokesman Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said: “I am not aware that the Senate President has any letter.”
Earlier yesterday, APC spokesman Mohammed issued a short statement around 12.40pm in which he said: “Eleven senators elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party this morning defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). A formal letter to this effect has been delivered to Senate President David Mark and is expected to be read on the floor of the Senate this afternoon. This is only the first installment of many other senators of the People’s Democratic Party expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress soon.”
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