Nigeria’s Senate has recorded another political shift as three senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers—Senator Amos Yohanna representing Adamawa North, Senator Aminu Iya Abbas of Adamawa Central, and Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis representing Zamfara Central—announced their decision to leave the opposition party during Tuesday’s plenary session.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, formally read their defection letters on the Senate floor, notifying lawmakers of the change in party affiliation.
In their letters, the senators attributed their decision to the persistent internal crises within the PDP in their respective states, which they said had made it increasingly difficult for them to remain in the party.
With the latest defections, the balance of power in the upper chamber has shifted further in favour of the ruling party. The All Progressives Congress now holds 83 seats in the Senate, while the PDP’s representation has dropped to 19.
Other parties currently represented in the chamber include the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with one seat, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with one seat, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with four seats, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with one seat. The Labour Party presently has no senator in the chamber.
Reacting to the growing wave of defections, Senate President Akpabio described the development as an indication that the country is “moving in the right direction.” He recalled that during the 8th Senate, the APC lost as many as 34 lawmakers to the PDP, but noted that the political tide now appears to have turned.
According to him, the PDP has gradually “emptied itself” into the ruling party, suggesting that the shift reflects changing political realities within the country.
Akpabio also linked the trend to ongoing economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. These reforms include the harmonisation of Nigeria’s foreign exchange rates, the removal of fuel subsidies, and broader fiscal restructuring measures aimed at stabilising the economy.
He added that the reforms are helping to reduce the reliance of state governments on borrowing while positioning Nigeria on what he described as a path toward sustainable economic growth.
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