Senate: APC rises to 77 as Senator Katung Dumps PDP

From Kenneth Udeh,  Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has further consolidated its dominance in the Senate following the defection of Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, who represents Kaduna South Senatorial District, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Katung formally announced his defection to the ruling party during Wednesday’s plenary session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who read the senator’s defection letter on the floor of the chamber.

Explaining his decision, Katung cited deepening divisions, factionalisation and unresolved leadership crises within the PDP at the national level, saying the situation no longer aligned with the pro-people mandate entrusted to him by his constituents.

With Katung’s defection, the number of APC senators has increased to 77, while the PDP’s representation has dropped to 24 seats. Other parties in the 109-member Senate include the Labour Party with 4 seats, APGA 2, SDP 1, and NNPP 1.

The development is significant as Katung becomes the first senator from Kaduna State to defect from the PDP, breaking the party’s hold on all three senatorial zones of the state.

Prior to his defection, the PDP occupied Kaduna Central through Senator Lawal Adamu Usman and Kaduna North through Senator Ibrahim Khalid Mustapha.

Interestingly, Katung had only a few months ago publicly denied rumours of plans to defect to the APC. At the time, his media office issued a statement insisting he remained a committed PDP member despite widespread speculation fueled by the defection of several PDP stakeholders in his senatorial district to the ruling party.

However, Wednesday’s move confirms a change in political alignment and adds to the growing wave of defections weakening the opposition PDP.

The PDP has in recent months suffered several high-profile losses, including the defection of Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (Cross River North), who also cited internal divisions as his reason for joining the APC. His defection letter was read during plenary by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.

Beyond the National Assembly, the PDP has also lost governors and lawmakers across states such as Bayelsa, Rivers and Enugu, with many defectors blaming irreconcilable differences and parallel leadership structures within the party, particularly following factional disputes linked to rival acting national chairmen.

The latest defection underscores the APC’s expanding influence in the legislature and deepens concerns over the PDP’s internal cohesion ahead of future electoral contests.