‘There Is No Crisis in APGA!’ — Senate Challenges Abaribe’s Defection to ADC

Tension briefly rose in the Nigerian Senate on Thursday after lawmakers questioned the reason given by Eyinnaya Abaribe for leaving the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The issue came up during plenary when the defection letter of the Abia South senator was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In the letter, Abaribe said he decided to dump APGA because of a crisis within the party.

But several senators immediately challenged the claim. They insisted there was no internal division in APGA that could legally justify the move under the Nigerian Constitution.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau was among the first to raise concerns. He reminded the chamber that the law allows a legislator to defect only under specific conditions.

“The Constitution provides that a legislator may change political parties only under specific circumstances such as when there is a division within the party they were elected under or when there is a merger of parties or factions, one of which originally sponsored the member.

“Mr President, you asked me to carefully study the letters and the reasons given by those who have defected. I did so.

“Those moving from the PDP may have reasons because we know there are two factions within the PDP—the Wike faction and the Makinde faction.

“However, my attention was drawn to the cases involving the APGA and the Labour Party. After studying the situation, I discovered that there is no division in APGA and no division in the Labour Party,” Barau said.

Following the submission, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele suggested that the matter should be examined further. He proposed that Abaribe’s letter be forwarded to the legal department of the National Assembly and external legal advisers for proper guidance.

“It will not be for us to go to court. Rather, it will be for us to invoke the relevant provisions of the constitution.

“Under your watch (Akpabio), you have to take your position. If anyone decides to go to court, we will not be the complainant. It would be Sen. Abaribe who would go to court,” he said.

In response, Abaribe defended his position. He argued that the circumstances surrounding his relationship with APGA were different.

“I haven’t been sacked from my party since September 2025. And I have the letter here. I can read the letter.

“What it says very clearly, that provided there is a division, but there is nothing that says if you have been sacked.”.

After listening to both sides, Senate President Akpabio advised caution. He asked the Abia senator to take time and reconsider his position before the next legislative sitting.

“I want to protect you. You have spoken twice already.

“The third time, you may end up saying something you do not intend to say.

From what I can see now, Sen. Umeh does not appear to be helping you.

“He has tried everything to provoke this chamber, yet we have refused to be provoked out of the respect we have for you.

“Therefore, we will give you until our next sitting to reconsider and take a decision. Let us know your position then,” Akpabio said.

While Abaribe’s case generated debate on the Senate floor, several other lawmakers defected during the same sitting without controversy.

Among them were Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Binos Yaroe of Adamawa, Victor Umeh and Tony Nwonye from Anambra, Lawal Usman of Kaduna, Ogoshi Onawo of Nasarawa, Augustine Akobundu of Abia, and Ireti Kingibe representing the Federal Capital Territory. All moved to the African Democratic Congress.

Also, Seriake Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West Senatorial District, announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In his letter, Tambuwal blamed his decision on prolonged internal disputes within the PDP.

“The ongoing conflicts have unfortunately weakened the unity and direction that once defined the party.

“Please accept this letter as a formal notice of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC),” he said.

Yaroe also explained that his decision was influenced by the need to protect Nigeria’s democratic system and maintain political pluralism.

“The country has not been—and cannot be—turned into a one-party system”.

Following the latest defections, the composition of the Senate has shifted significantly. The All Progressives Congress (APC) now holds 87 seats, while ADC has nine senators. The PDP has seven seats, APGA has one, NDC one, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also has one.

Three seats remain vacant due to the death of former occupants.