I think ADC is dead – Akpabio: loses two seats in Senate as Abaribe, Umeh, Hanga defects

APC 88, ADC 8, PDP 4, NDC 3, APGA 1 and Accord 1, totalling 105 out of 109 seats 

FORMER  Minority Leader  of the Senate,  Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe,  Abia South has dumped his recent party, the African Democratic Congress,  ADC  for the Labour Party,  LP.

Also Senator Victor Umeh, Anambra Central, has defected from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Umeh announced his defection in a letter read on the floor of the senate on Tuesday by Godswill Akpabio.

The two Senators in separate letters forwarded to the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio and read in plenary , hinged their actions on leadership and litigation crises rocking ADC , which according to them , made it precarious for any serious politician to use it as platform for the 2027 general election.

In another defection , the Senate Minority Whip, Senator Rufai Hanga,  Kano Central , moved from New Nigeria Peoples Party  NNPP to NDC..

Defections of Umeh and Hanga into NDC , increased number of serving Senators on its  platform  from one to three , inclusive of the founder , Senator Seriake Dickson ( Bayelsa West ) who defected to it on March 31st when Nine other Senators defected to ADC.

Abaribe said, "My decision to resign my membership of the African Democratic Congress is effective immediately. Accordingly, I have joined the Labour Party,” Abaribe said.

He linked his defection to internal challenges within the ADC.

“My decision is anchored on the now well-known leadership crisis within the ADC, occasioned by multiple legal issues besetting the party,” he said.

On his part, Umeh said, “I write to inform you of my decision to defect from the african democratic congress adc to the nigeria democratic congress ndc,” he said.

Umeh said his decision followed consultations with stakeholders.

“I've taken this decision after wide consultations with my family, my constituents, and supporters in view of the lingering divisions in the leadership and unending mitigations in the african democratic congress,” he said.

He said he remains committed to national development.

“I remain committed to making my contributions towards the development of our dear nation, but this time through the NDC,” he said.

Hanga  who  cited internal crisis within the NNPP as the reason for his decision, said, “The ongoing internal crisis, characterised by factional leadership disputes, conflicting directives, and irreconcilable differences among key stakeholders, has created an unstable political environment that makes it impracticable to effectively discharge my legislative responsibilities on the party's platform."

Hanga who explained that the decision followed consultations with stakeholders, said, "Furthermore, this decision follows extensive consultation with my constituents, political associates, and key stakeholders,” he said.

According to him,  the NDC aligns with his political ideals.

“After careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that the ideals and policy direction of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are more closely aligned with my commitment to effective representation, good governance and the advancement of democratic values,” he said.

“In view of the above, I respectfully request that this letter be accepted by the senate as a formal notice of my defection to the NDC in accordance with established legislative procedures,” he added.

Latest wave of defections made current configuration of Senators in the Senate on the platform of the various  political parties to be APC 88, ADC 8, PDP 4, NDC 3, APGA 1 and Accord 1, totalling 105 out of 109 seats .

The four vacant seats are those of Enugu North , Nasarawa North , Rivers South East and Ondo South due to deaths of three and appointment of one to the Permanent Seat of United Nations.  .

In his remarks,  the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio who noted that it looks like the African Democratic Congress, ADC, is dead, said: “Resignation from ADC and declaration for Labour Party. Maybe all those defecting from ADC should just compile everything in one paper and bring, so that we don’t keep announcing, announcing, announcing.

“Because I think ADC is dead.

“How many times can you defect in a month? Once. But some have done three times.”

He suggested a compilation of names based on defection choices instead of individual announcement “So that it doesn’t look like a daily ritual.

“If you are defecting from Labour, you write all of you. If you are moving from ADC, you write all of you. If you are entering NDC, you write all of you.

“Note that Senator Abaribe has moved from APGA to ADC, and now he has moved from ADC to Labour Party, he said.