Senate Questions Abaribe's Defection from APGA to ADC

On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate addressed Eyinnaya Abaribe's defection from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Abaribe's defection letter during a plenary session, which cited a crisis within APGA as the reason for his departure.

However, several senators, including Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, contested this claim, asserting that there is no internal division within APGA. They emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution allows legislators to defect under specific conditions, such as internal party divisions or mergers.

Barau suggested that Abaribe's letter should be forwarded to the legal department of the National Assembly for external legal advice. Akpabio advised Abaribe to reconsider his decision before the next legislative sitting.

The Senate's composition shifted significantly due to recent defections, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding 87 seats, ADC with nine, and PDP with seven.