Senate dismisses report of coercion as Aliero, two other Kebbi senators dump PDP for APC 

Aliero, in a letter read on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, said his decision followed “deep reflection, extensive consultations, and careful assessment” of the political and socio-economic realities of the country and his constituency.

“I have made the decision to formally resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and rejoin the All Progressives Congress, APC, of which I was a founding member,” Aliero stated. “Politics must never be about personal loyalty to a platform. It will always be about service, solutions, and results.”

He said the PDP had become “disconnected from the aspirations of the very Nigerians it seeks to lead,” blaming the party’s internal divisions and lack of ideological clarity. He expressed renewed confidence in the APC’s leadership, describing it as “a more viable platform through which I can effectively serve my constituents.”

Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, former Senate Leader and another defector, echoed similar sentiments. In his letter, he described his return to the APC as a “homecoming,” noting that the issues that led to his initial exit from the party in 2022 had been resolved by the current state governor.

“I believe it is in the best interest of the constituency that I was presented to take this step,” Abdullahi said. “It is politically imperative for me to join President Bola Tinubu by providing my legislative knowledge and experience to support the efforts that the President is making in reinventing Nigeria.”

The third senator, Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South, also defected, completing the sweep of Kebbi’s senatorial delegation into the APC.

Reacting to the defections, the leadership of the Senate dismissed arguments that members of the opposition were moving to the ruling APC to avoid prosecution or for other sinister interests.

Both the Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, in their separate comments, noted that such defections are not strange in a democratic setting.

Speaking first, Sen. Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said, “No one is being coerced. If anyone will be coerced, definitely it is not Senator Aliero, it whdnot Professor Yahaya Abdulahi that will be coerced, neither is it Senator Maidoki who had also made a mark at the private sector before he ever go and try to do same in politics. They are not in politics so that they can feed. But they recognise the fact that this is not the time for us to grandstand.

“This is the time for all of us to work together to take Nigeria to the next level. And I say it again for the up-to-date time. Those who refer to this parliament as a rubber stamp should know that we are at a very critical stage of our national life when all hands will be on deck. It will not matter what party you belong to. What will matter to you is overriding public interest,” said Bamidele.

Similarly, the Deputy President of the Senate, while congratulating President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje who was present at the Red Chamber to witness the defections, said the influx of defectors to the ruling party is an indication that both the President and the party chairman are working well.

“Let me congratulate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for this very big gain by the ruling party. Also, congratulion to the national chairman of the party for this gain. Of course, himself and the President have been working together and we have seen the results in the number of people coming to the party.

“It’s just a sign that the government is doing well and that’s why people are attracted because of the performance of the government. So all we need to tell Mr. President is that we commend what he’s doing. We also commend the government of Kebbi State the presence of your governor here shows that you are working in harmony with your people.”