APC Tightens Grip on Senate with Fresh Wave of Defections, Now Has 87 Senators

• Opposition reshuffles leadership roles

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, strengthened its dominance in the Senate as a fresh wave of defections from opposition parties pushed its membership to 87, further tilting the balance of power in the upper legislative chamber.

The latest shift followed the formal defection of Senator Osita Ngwu from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, a development that triggered a leadership adjustment within the minority caucus.

In response, the caucus announced Senator Tony Nwoye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the new Deputy Minority Whip.

The defection notice, conveyed in a letter and read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, cited the protracted internal crisis within the PDP as the primary reason for Ngwu’s decision to leave the party.

The move was part of a broader pattern of defections that has continued to reshape the political configuration of the Senate, raising concerns about the shrinking strength of opposition parties and the implications for legislative checks and balances.

In a related development, Akpabio also informed lawmakers that a new chairman would soon be appointed for the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following the resignation of Senator Aliyu Wadada from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to join the APC.

The PAC chairmanship, by constitutional provision and parliamentary convention, is reserved for a member of the opposition.

Wadada’s exit from the SDP, therefore, necessitated a replacement from one of the remaining minority parties.

In his defection letter, Wadada attributed his decision to unresolved leadership disputes within the SDP, which he said had undermined the party’s unity and effectiveness as a platform for national development.

He further disclosed that he was persuaded to join the APC by the performance of his governor, who belonged to the ruling party.

Wadada noted that he had concluded all formalities for his defection at both ward and state levels as far back as August 2025, signalling that the move had been in the works for some time.

Also joining the APC was Senator Anthony Yaro, who defected from the PDP, further swelling the ruling party’s ranks.

Reacting to the developments, Akpabio disclosed that the APC now commanded 87 seats in the Senate, adding that more lawmakers were in talks with him over plans to join the ruling party.

He said the current composition of the Senate reflected a growing alignment with the APC, which he attributed to internal challenges within opposition parties and the perceived performance of the ruling party at both federal and state levels.