The ruling All Progressives Congress on Wednesday consolidated its dominance in the Senate after Senator Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District, formally defected from the Labour Party to the APC.
His defection, announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, raises the APC’s strength in the 10th Senate to 73 seats, giving the party a firm two-thirds majority and tightening its grip on the upper legislative chamber.
Chukwu, who replaced his slain brother, Oyibo Chukwu, in the 2023 elections, blamed his move on the lingering crises within the Labour Party.
“The protracted crisis rocking the LP, which has led to its factionalisation, is seriously affecting its members,” he said.
With his exit, the Labour Party’s presence in the Senate has dwindled to just four members, leaving Senator Okey Ezea (Enugu North) as the only LP senator from Enugu State.
The Peoples Democratic Party currently holds 28 seats, while the Social Democratic Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party have one each. The All Progressives Grand Alliance retains two senators.
The development further cements the APC’s legislative dominance, coming months after four opposition senators—Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East), and Samson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South)—dumped the PDP for the ruling party amid internal wrangling.
At the plenary, Akpabio seized the moment to rib the opposition, describing the defection as evidence of the disarray within minority parties.
“I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria,” Akpabio said. “But where they are not able to organise themselves and all the political parties are in tatters, the right thing is to join us so we can move this country forward.
The PDP is on the ground, the umbrella is torn. Labour Party is in tatters. Accord Party is no more. The ADC even crashed before it took off.”
Amid laughter, the Senate President congratulated APC senators for “gaining a strong senatorial district in Enugu” before inviting Minority Leader Abba Moro to respond.
Moro, visibly unamused, countered that despite the defections, the opposition remained resolute and would not be cowed by the ruling party’s growing numbers.
“No matter the number here, we are capable of holding our own,” he said. “Those who are gravitating towards the majority side are exercising their rights. But I wish my brother and friend, Kelvin, who has just left the third row for the last row, good luck.”
Moro also pointedly noted that Chukwu had not consulted him before defecting, saying,
“He came here on the back of the Obidient Movement, on a sympathy vote. But that’s a story for another day.”
He added, “This house is becoming too full, Mr. President, and it should be of concern to you. For the rest of us who are still here, we will try to remain until 2027.”
Analysts say the steady wave of defections is reshaping the power balance in the National Assembly, with concerns that a near one-party dominance could weaken legislative oversight and reduce the vibrancy of opposition politics.
punch.ng
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