Barring any last minute changes, twelve lawmakers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the senate will dump the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The development does not bode well for the APC as its majority status in the upper legislative chamber will come under threat.
Matters came to a head last Wednesday during an Executive session when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, (All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Abia-South) moved a motion for issues on Buhari’s impeachment to be discussed.
The APC currently enjoys the majority in the senate with 61 senators while the PDP has 40 senators. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has 1, New Nigeria Peoples Party 2, Young Progressives Party, YPP, 1 and Labour Party with one senator.
The motion was seconded by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, (APC -Bauchi North) as several lawmakers were exasperated at the deepening security crisis with increasing spate of terrorists’ attacks across the country and recent attacks in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
A legislative aide privy to details of the session disclosed; “There was no opposition during the executive session, according to what the senator told me. It was agreed the issue will be tabled for discussion during plenary under Point of Order (PoO).”
“They were all surprised when the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Phillip Aduda, (PDP-Abuja), raised the issue and it was shut down by the Lawan.”
“They are feeling someone in that closed-door session tipped off the president and his team, who immediately got in touch with Lawan to shoot it down,” he said.
This angered the legislators as all PDP senators staged a walk-out accompanied by some APC senators.
Below are the Names of the Senators set to join the PDP;
1. Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, (APC -Bauchi North)
2. Senator Ladi Dadu’ut, (APC – Plateau South)
3. Senator Bello Mandiya, (APC – Katsina South)
4. Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, (APC – Kwara Central)
5. Senator Danladi Sankara, (APC – Jigawa West)
6. Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, (APC – Niger North)
7. Smart Adeyemi, (APC – Kogi West)
8. Senator Yakubu Oseni, (APC – Kogi Central)
9. Bauchi Central Isah Hamma Misau
10. Halliru Dauda, (APC – Bauchi Central)