Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, blocked an attempt by Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan to stop All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators from dumping the party.
Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Barnabas Gemade, led the defectors.
Others are Senators Abdullahi Ibrahim Danbaba (Sokoto South), Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Ubali Shittu (Jigawa North-East), Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South), Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), Isa Misau (Bauchi Central), Monsurat Sunmonu (Oyo Central).
Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano Central), Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North), Olanrewaju Tejuosho (Ogun Central) Usman Nafada (Gombe North) and Abdulaziz Nyako (Adamawa Central) were also among.
Their defection was contained in a letter Saraki read at plenary.
It read: “Dear Senate President, after due consultation with our constituents and stakeholders in our constituencies, in proper recognition of Section 68(1G) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and with the fact that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is hereby enmeshed in factions.
“We hereby inform the Senate that we the undersigned are changing our political affiliation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We thank you for your exemplary leadership.”
But in a swift reaction, Senator Lawan raised an observation and was allowed to speak.
The Senator insisted that the defection was unnecessary, noting that “the APC, our party, certainly has its own internal challenges.
“But Mr. President, as a political party, we all know how much effort by so many stakeholders to address the issues that bedevil this party.
“The disagreements do not translate into factionalisation. I therefore feel that our senators of the APC stock do not have to move to any other party.
“I also believe that because the issues are under serious discussions by major stakeholders of this party, I will urge that the announcement be quarantined and contained and address the issues.
“Very seriously, this matter should be stepped down until we exhaust all the opportunities.”
Overruling Lawan, Saraki replied: “As you know and have seen, the seat beside you is vacant. As we speak, the Deputy Senate President cannot get out of his house.
“He is under siege. This morning, I could not also leave my street as well, all being efforts by some people that believe that today’s sitting must not hold because some members want to move or defect.
“It is not something that started today; it will not end today; people have gone, they’ve come back.
“This kind of action does not allow for what you are saying. You are speaking as the Leader of the Senate, who has been here for many years.”
Added to his plea, Lawan insisted that the APC still commands majority in the Senate.
He spoke to journalists after a close-door meeting with the APC National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole at the Party’s National Secretariat on Tuesday evening.
He said: “Even though we have lost some of our colleagues to the PDP and other parties, the APC still retains the position of No. 1 party with more seats. Presently we (APC) have 52 Senators, PDP has 49, African Democratic Congress (ADC) has 3, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has 2 and we have 2 vacancies.
“We lost our colleagues in Kaduna and Bauchi State; those were APC seats, very safe seats indeed. In August bye-elections will be held and by the grace of God, the APC will reclaim the seats and the majority of the APC will increase.”
Lawan also read out the names of the 52 senators he said are still in the APC.
They are: Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi), Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto), Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara), Kabir Marafa (Zamfara), Tijjani Kaura(Zamfara), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina), Umar Kurfi (Katsina), Kabir Gaya (Kano), Barau Jibrin (Kano), Abdullahi Gumel (Jigawa), Sabo Mohammed (Jigawa), Shehu Sani (Kaduna), Ahmed Lawan(Yobe), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), Ali Ndume (Borno), Abu Kyari (Borno), Baba Kaka Garbai (Borno).
Others are, Sabi Abdullahi (Niger), David Umar (Niger), Mustapha Muhammed (Niger), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), George Akume (Benue), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Francis Alimikhena (Edo), Andrew Uchendu (Rivers), Magnus Abe (Rivers), Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta), John Enoh (Cross River), Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom), Andy Uba (Anambra), Sonni Ogbuoji (Ebonyi), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Ben Uwajimogu (Imo), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Binta Masi Garba (Adamawa), Ahmed Abubakar (Adamawa), Yusuf A. Yusuf (Taraba).
Also mentioned are, Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos), Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos), Solomon Adeola (Lagos), Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo), Gbolahan Dada (Ogun), Soji Akanbi (Oyo), Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo), Yele Omogunwa (Ondo), Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo), Babajide Omoworare (Osun), Sola Adeyeye (Osun), Fatimat Raji-Rasaki (Ekiti).
Nonetheless, a House of Representatives member, Abdulrazak Atunwa, who, along with 36 others defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Tuesday, has disclosed that more members would leave the party in the coming weeks.
Atunwa said that Tuesday’s defection was just the first batch of members that would leave the APC.
He said the public should expect more as many members had indicated their intentions to defect from the party.
The APC, according to Atunwa, is a party they all laboured for as people came from various parties, campaigned and formed a government in 2015.
According to him, “we came together because of what was being proposed to the people of Nigeria as we believed in change and a better Nigeria.”
The legislator said that they believed in respect for the rule of law, improved education, social welfare of the people as the men, women and youth of the country deserve better among other ideals.
“Sadly, no sooner had we formed government in May, 2015, than the party put itself on course to be derailed and that derailment has continued till today.
“Some of us have been agitating that we should go back to the ideals that brought us together, but the party was not listening.
“The party rather embarked on victimisation and criminalisation of its members, those perceived as opponents and have divergent views,” he said.
He said the party set itself on the line of destruction when the aggrieved members brought up their concerns but were castigated and referred to as “inconsequential and as nobody.”
“Putting all that together and the interest of the country, particularly as the APC has derailed from the ideals that will propel Nigeria to advance, we felt we have to take this step we took today,” he said.
Atunwa said the defectors are interested in economic development, respect for parliament and rule of law, while the APC is more concerned about membership to form majority.
He, however, said that the PDP in the past three years has learnt its lessons.
The lawmaker added that they have monitored and have seen that the PDP has taken corrective measures.
He said that having been beaten at the polls in 2015, the PDP has got its acts together and now a reformed party, adding that it is the reason they felt confident to return to the party.
Also, Hassan Saleh, who also defected, said that from the ward congress up to the national convention of the APC, no fewer than 25 states in the country had parallel congresses.
He questioned the process that brought about the national convention given the issues at ward levels, saying that the foundation was faulty.
According to him, “we cannot continue to hide our faces like nothing is wrong when the problem is there.”
Rep. Aliyu Madaki said some of the defectors joined the APC because it campaigned and promised to ensure security of lives and properties.
For him, Section 14 of the Constitution said that the primary responsibility of government “is the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians”.
According to him, nobody is safe today in Nigeria; ‘under the PDP administration, I could drive from Abuja to Kano with my eyes closed but now, I depend on consistent prayer to arrive safely’.
No fewer than 33 lawmakers in the lower chamber defected from the APC to PDP, four others to African Democratic Party (ADC), while one resigned.
The House, however, adjourned to proceed on eight weeks break, to resume plenary on September 25.
