APC senators hit 70 as 4 others join

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate’s political configuration has shifted significantly as four senators from Akwa Ibom and Osun States defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal crises, weak party leadership, and alignment with President Tinubu’s policy direction.

Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East) said he could no longer defend a “fractured PDP,” and pledged loyalty to the APC’s Renewed Hope agenda and Governor Umo Eno’s Arise vision, while Ekong Samson (Akwa Ibom South) said the political direction of Akwa Ibom had aligned with the APC.

Similarly, Osun State’s Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East) and Fadeyi Olubiyi (Osun Central) pointed to internal litigations and leadership vacuum in the PDP as reasons for their defections.

With the latest defections, the APC now controls 70 of the 109 Senate seats, leaving the PDP with 28, Labour Party with 4, SDP with 2, NNPP with 1, APGA with 1, and two seats in Edo and Anambra vacant.

Receiving the new members, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele declared, “This is not the end. The wind is blowing strong and in our favour.” He added that though the development increased their power in numbers, it also serves as a reminder that the party has more work to do.

In another development, the Senate received a letter from President Tinubu nominating Professor Yusuf Mohammed Yusuf as Commissioner of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission. He replaces Professor Fatima Alkali, whose nomination was withdrawn after she failed to appear for Senate screening. Yusuf’s nomination was referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for legislative action.