The APC loses two senators to the PDP, and Abaribe joins the APGA

Senators Choices: Senate Majority Leader Yahaya Abdullahi and Adamu Aliero, both members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, will formally defect to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Wednesday, after the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was unable to present his defection and resignation letter to plenary.

Despite Senate President Lawan’s proclamation to that effect, it was agreed that Abaribe’s letter be read on the floor before his departure as Minority Leader, following a point of order brought by Senator Gabriel Suswam.

Senators Yahaya Abdullahi and Adamu Aliero announced their formal defection from Kebbi State in two separate letters submitted to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, which were read on the floor during plenary on Tuesday.

Both senators represent the senatorial districts of Kebbi North and Kebbi Central, respectively.

With the exception of Abaribe, who is likely to formally defect from the opposition party to APGA on Wednesday, the overall number of PDP Senators has increased to 39 from 38 previously.

It also reduces the number of APC Senators in the upper chamber from 71 to 69.

In a letter titled “Defection From APC to PDP And Resignation As The Majority Leader Of The 9th Senate,” the Senate Leader stated his choice was influenced by the APC’s democratic issues and inadequacies in Kebbi State.

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All attempts to resolve the problem through the intervention of the North-West Zone Governors and the now-defunct Abdullahi Adamu-led National Reconciliation Committee failed, according to him.

“I write to inform you of the withdrawal of my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and consequently resign from my position as the Majority Leader of the 9th Senate.

“I came to this decision after a very hard struggle with my conscience and emotions. It is either to remain on the side of my people, or to selfishly look the other way. All politics is local. I cannot therefore in good Conscience, continue to work for the success of this administration at the centre while the people of my state, my primary constituency, continue wallow in abject poverty and destitution under the misrule and manipulation of a despot.

“I have therefore decided to pitch my tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in order to join forces with my compatriots at home who are struggling against incompetence, imposition and violation of democratic norms, principles and practices.

“The democratic challenges and deficits in my state, Kebbi State, did not just start from the last congresses, but right from July last year when the governor illegally decapitated the State Leadership of the Party, imposed un-elected ward, Local government and State executives of the Party.

“This matter was brought to the attention of the caretaker Committee of the Party who failed to bring the Governor to order.

“Efforts by all well meaning individuals including Your Excellency, Mr. President, were equally spurned. The North-West Zone Governors’ entreaties were ignored. The defunct Abdullahi Adamu-led National Reconciliation Committee’s intervention to find amicable resolutions failed. All primarily due to the manipulative intransigence of the Governor.

“At a point I thought of resort to the courts, but decided against that course of action after realizing that political challenges require political solutions in the democratic arena where it is the people and not the judges who are the final arbiters.

“So, after having failed to get justice in my former Party, the APC, I have jumped ship to the PDP together with our teeming supporters in a struggle to democratically bring to an end the misrule and tyranny currently gripping Kebbi State.

“Mr. President, I appreciate and will continue to support your leadership. I cherish and remain eternally grateful to you and all my colleagues for the unconditional support and cooperation rendered to me in the last three golden years of our tenure.

“A tenure that witnessed unprecedented unity, productivity, sense of purpose and patriotism in the conduct of our legislative responsibilities. l also plead with any of my colleagues whom I have offended in the course of our interactions to please forgive me.

“While praying for Allah’s guidance and peaceful journey to the forthcoming elections, please accept the assurances of my highest respect and esteem.”

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