Trouble for Akpabio as 22 APC Senators reportedly set to defect to PDP

A report by Daily Sun states that there are moves to create a major upset in the Senate, with 22 All Progressives Congress (APC) senators plotting to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

If this move is actualised, the PDP, the major opposition party, will become the majority in the Red Chamber.

Among the 109 legislators in the upper legislative chamber, the APC holds 59 seats, the PDP has 36 seats, while the Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have 8, 2, 2, 1, and 1 seat respectively.

If the 22 APC senators follow through on their threat, it would increase the number of PDP senators to 58, while reducing the APC's count to 37. As a result, the PDP would emerge as the majority party in the Senate.

Daily Sun cited an unnamed Senator from the northwest as its source.

The 22 APC senators have allegedly decided to join forces with their colleagues who are loyal to Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari.

Recall that Yari contested the Senate President position, but lost to Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The unnamed source was further cited as saying that the senators held a series of meetings in Abuja and London, where they affirmed their resolve to decamp to the PDP.

To actualize the plan, it was gathered PDP senators have agreed to cede the Senate President position currently held by Senator Akpabio to one of the 22 senators and Yari’s allies decamping to the party, as well as the Deputy Senate President post.

On the part of the PDP senators, the party would take the Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip, the source said, adding that the Yari group has pledged to work harmoniously with them.

Meanwhile, Daily Sun also cited another unnamed northwest senator as saying a group of senators have concluded plans to challenge the outcome of Akpabio's election court.

The group reportedly argued that the ballot papers used in the election were supposed to be secret balloting but were manipulated and compromised.

Recall that Senator Akpabio defeated Senator Yari by 17 votes; he scored 63 votes, while Yari got 46.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Yari felt betrayed following his loss to Senator Akpabio in the race for the 10th Senate presidency.

In an interview held on Thursday, June 15, in Abuja, Yari revealed that his calculations before the elections indicated that he would gather at least 61 out of the available 109 votes, which would have ensured his victory.

Akpabio was the anointed candidate of the ruling APC.