Battle of 2027: Rowdy session in senate as Tambuwal, Abaribe, 7 others defect to ADC

.Red chamber rejects Abaribe’s defection letter, insists on production of sack letter from APGA

. As 12 Reps dump PDP, LP, NNDP for ADC, APC

IGNATIUS OKOROCHA, Abuja

Nine senators across different political parties, on Thursday, defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The senators are Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto; Eyinnaya Abaribe, Abia; Binos Yaroe, Adamawa; Victor Umeh, Anambra; Tony Nwonye, Anambra; Lawal Usman, Kaduna; Ogoshi Onawo, Nasarawa State; Augustine Akobundu, Abia and Ireti Kingibe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The letters of defection addressed to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio were read during plenary.

.Red chamber rejects Abaribe’s defection letter, insists on production of sack letter from APGA

The Nigerian Senate was on Thursday engulfed in heated argument following the rejection of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s defection to the African Democratic Congress, (ADC )from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) along with eight other Senators that dumped their original political parties for ADC.

The decampee Senators to ADC) are( 1), Former Governor of Sokoto state, Senator Waziri Aminu Tambuwal (PDP Sokoto South ,(2) Sen.Enyinnaya Abaribe ( APGA Abia-South),(3)Sen Victor Umeh (LP Anambra Central),(4) Sen Tony Nwoye (LP Anambra North),(5) Sen Onawo Mohammed Ogoshi (PDP Nasarawa South)

Others include(6) Sen.Akor Bundu ( PDP Abia Central),(7) Sen. Usman Lawal Adamu,( PDP Kaduna Central(8) Sen Ireti Kingibe ( LP FCT),(9)
Binas Dauda Yaroe ( PDP Adamawa North East)

Former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Dickson Seriake representing PDP Bayelsa West defected to Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)

Meanwhile Senator Abaribe, a member of APGA was among the nine Senators who defected to other political parties citing crisis as responsible for their defection ahead of the 2027 general elections.

After his announcement, the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau pointed out a constitutional breach, reminding the Chamber that there was no crisis in APGA that warranted the defection of Senator Abaribe.

Barau cited Constitutional provision, insisting that Abaribe should reconsider withdrawing the letter of defection and going back to his APGA or risk vacating his seat, as it was the party that sponsored him to the Senate during the election.

Citing section 68(1) “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if [a] he becomes a member of another legislative house.

[b] Any other circumstances arising that, if he were not a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives,, would cause him to to be disqualified for election as a member.

Reacting, Abaribe, who represents Abia South Senatorial District, disclosed that he had been sacked from the party on September 25, 2025, insisting that his sack was responsible for his moving to the opposition African Democratic Party, ADC.

“Mr. Senate President, Distinguished Colleagues, I have the letter and the evidence of my sack by APGA.”

Abaribe’s disclosure generated stormy session between principal officers of the Senate who insisted on constitutional provision and other Lawmakers who showed solidarity for him.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole representing Edo North Senatorial District pointed out that APGA has no crisis and the Labour Party’s crisis has been resolved.

Abaribe’s defection was a breach of the Constitution, urging the Senate to deal with the situation with all sincerity.

Reacting, Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio commended Senator Abaribe for being sincere with the “sack narrative” and called on the Senate Leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi to speak his position on the issue.

Akpabio said: “Thank you for being honest. You have confirmed and affirmed that you are not leaving APGA because of crisis, but that you were sacked.”

In his contribution, the Senate Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi drew the attention of Senators to Section 66 of the Constitution which deals with, “election to the Senate and the House of Representatives”, stressing that the issue of sack from a political party is anticipated in the Constitution.

Opeyemi said, “Section 68(1b)” if applicable should have made Senator Abaribe to vacate his seat if he defects.
Asking, “Could Senator Abaribe have been elected to the Senate, if he had not been sponsored by a political party?”

He submitted on the point of law that Abaribe should be given an opportunity to withdraw the letter of defection to ADC, adding that the acclaimed sack made him ineligible to contest election in the first place.

In his response to the massive defection of many opposition Senators from PDP to ADC and NDC, Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Patrick Moro lamented that Senator Abaribe has been in the Senate after his purported sack by APGA as a party less Senator.

Earlier, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, pointed out the provision of the Constitution that empowered him to decide, but upheld the submission of the Senate Leader and advised that, Abaribe should reconsider withdrawing the letter.

. As 12 Reps dump PDP, LP, NNDP for ADC, APC

A fresh wave of defections, on Thursday, swept through the House of Representatives, as 12 members announced their defections during plenary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defections, saw some opposition members moving into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and African Democratic Congress (ADC).

NAN also reports that the affected lawmakers defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), Young Progressives Party (YPP) and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

In separate letters read by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu on the floor of the house, the lawmakers cited irreconcilable differences in their former parties as reasons for the defections.

NAN reports that Reps. James Barka, Laori Bitrus, Zakaria Nyampa and Kobis Thimnu, all representing different constituencies in Adamawa, defected from PDP to APC.

Also, Reps. Midala Balami (PDP-Borno) and Mohammed Bargaja (PDP-Sokoto) defected to the ruling party, while Reps. Afam Ogene (LP-Anambra), Peter Aniekwe (YPP-Anambra) and Lilian Orogbu (LP-Anambra) joined ADC.

Two other lawmakers, Reps. Jessey Onakalusi (LP- Lagos) and Murphy Osaro (LP-Edo) equally left Labour Party for ADC.

The deputy speaker also announced that eight other lawmakers had notified the house of their defections.

Kalu listed their names to include: Hassan Hussein (NNPP-Kano), Tijani Khali (NNPP-Kano), Muhammed Shehu (NNPP-Kano) and Uchenna Okonkwo (LP-Anambra).

He, however, said that the letters of the defecting lawmakers would be read when they were physically present at plenary.

NAN recalls that at Wednesday’s plenary, Reps. Garba Inuwa and Abdullahi El-Rasheed, both from Gombe, and Rep. Mohammed Audu (PDP-Taraba) defected to APC.

While Rep. Joshua Obika (LP-FCT) also defected to APC, his counterpart, Adewale Adebayo (PDP-Osun) moved to Accord.

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