Defections spark Senate clash as Abaribe risk losing seat

Tensions rose on the Senate floor on Thursday following the formal defection of nine senators from minority parties to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), sparking a heated debate over whether constitutional provisions should be invoked against Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South.

The dispute centred on the application of Section 68 (1)(b) and (g) of the 1999 Constitution after Abaribe submitted a letter announcing his departure from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to join the ADC.

Abaribe’s letter was read alongside those of eight other senators who also defected during plenary.

Among them were Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto South), Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Lawal Adamu (Kaduna Central), Ogoshi Onawu (Nasarawa South), Austin Akobundu (Abia Central), and Ireti Kingibe (FCT).

Read also: Senate summons Mele Kyari, Ajia, others over unaccounted N210trn

While the other senators attributed their defections to internal crises within their former parties, mainly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, Abaribe did not cite any division within APGA as the reason for his move.

This omission quickly became the focal point of debate.

Acting on a prompt from the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, rose under Order 20 of the Senate Standing Rules to question the legality of Abaribe’s defection.

“Mr President, as directed by you, I have gone through the letters forwarded to you and read by you regarding the defections of the nine senators from some minority parties to ADC,” Jibrin said.

“But I strongly observed that one of the parties, APGA, from which Senator Abaribe defected is not engulfed in any crisis or division, particularly at the national level.

“Abaribe’s defection, as clearly stated in Section 68 (1)(b) and (g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, is against the provisions of the law and warrants you to do the needful as far as the Abia South senatorial seat is concerned.”

Quoting the constitutional provision, Jibrin added, “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if:

“Any other circumstances arise that, if he were not a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives, would cause him to be disqualified for election as a member;

“He defects from the political party that sponsored him for the election without the party having divisions.”

Following the observation, Akpabio invited Abaribe to respond to the concerns raised about his defection.

In his explanation, Abaribe acknowledged that APGA was not currently divided but said he had effectively ceased to be a member of the party after it expelled him in September 2025.

He told the chamber that since the law requires a legislator to belong to a political party, he opted to align with another platform.

However, the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, argued that the claim of expulsion itself could trigger another constitutional provision requiring Abaribe to vacate his seat.

“The purported sacking of Senator Abaribe from APGA in September last year is, in itself, sufficient ground for the seat to be declared vacant under Section 68 (1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution,” Bamidele said.

After listening to the arguments, Akpabio ruled that Abaribe should either withdraw his letter of defection or return to the Senate within one week with convincing explanations to justify his continued stay in the chamber.

Read also: Senate passes N2.34trn FCT budget for second reading

Meanwhile, Seriake Dickson, the senator representing Bayelsa West, formally notified the Senate of his defection to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). His letter was read during plenary by Akpabio.

The latest wave of defections has reshaped the Senate’s party composition. The ADC now has nine senators, emerging as the main opposition bloc in the chamber. The PDP’s numbers have shrunk to seven, while APGA and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) each have one senator. The NDC also holds one seat.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) maintains a dominant position with 87 senators.

Three seats; Nasarawa North, Enugu North and Rivers South East, remain vacant following the deaths of the senators who previously represented the districts.