APC boils: Buhari, APC fail to stop defection of 43 federal lawmakers

The deployment of security operatives in the early hours of Tuesday to barricade the residence of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and the Deputy Senate President, Barrister Ike Ekweremadu, was not enough for President Muhamadu Buhari to stop the defection of 16 senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), 15 to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Senate President Saraki in his political skill beat the security operatives to the game, using his private vehicle to escaper the siege to his residence and attended the plenary of the Senate where 16 lawmakers decamped from the ruling party. The security operatives only succeeded in stopping Ekweremadu from attending the Senate sitting on Tuesday.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki announced the defection of the lawmakers in a joint letter he read at eh plenary in which the defecting senators cited that APC has become factionalised and they could not continue to pursue their political careers under the ruling party.

The join letter reads:

“Dear Senate President,

After due consultation, with our constituents and stakeholders in our constituency, in proper recognition section 16 (1G) of the 1999 constitution, and for the fact of our party, The All Progressives Congress, we hereby inform the Senate that we the undersigned Senators:

Dino Melaye, Barnabas Gemade, Ibrahim Danbaba, Shaaba Lafiaji, Mohammed Shitu, Rafiu Ibrahim, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Isa Misau, Monsurat Sunmonu, Soji Akanbi, Usman Nafada, Musa Kwankwaso. Suleiman Nazif and  Lanre Tejuosho.

We hereby inform you that we are changing our political affiliation from APC to PDP. We thank you for your exemplary leadership.”

After reading the letter, Senate President Saraki stated that Senator Abdulazaz Nyako, has also announced his defection.

The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawal, argued for discarding of the defection letter, advocating that the action of the affected lawmakers should be quarantined while the letter written by the defected lawmakers should be stood down.

The defection occurred after APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, facilitated a meeting between President Buhari and Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso in Abuja on Monday. Buhari had held a closed door meeting with Kwankwaso at the State House on Monday as last minute intervention to discourage the exodus of the lawmakers, again, that failed.

In the House of Representatives, 37 lawmakers decamped from the ruling APC on Tuesday.

At the plenary presided by Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Yakubu Dogara, 34 lawmakers announced their defection to the PDP while four went to ADC. Some of the defected lawmakers in the house include: Sani Rano, Barry Mpigi, Ali Madaki, Dickson Tackighir, Hassan Saleh, Danburam Nuhu, Mark Gbilah, Razak Atunwa, Ahmed Bichi, Abdulsamad Dasuki and Zakari Mohammed.

Few minutes after announcement of the defection of the 36 lawmakers, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Orker Jev, also announced he was resigning from the APC.

He cited division in the APC as his reason for leaving the party; He however did not indicate the next political party of his destination.

Meanwhile, the Presiding Officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly still remain members of the ruling APC.