Senators Amos Yohanna (PDP Adamawa), Abass Iya (PDP Adamawa) and Ikra Bilbis (PDP Zamfara) have defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senators’ defection was announced in separate letters read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at plenary on Wednesday.
Yohanna, in his letter, said he was resigning from the PDP that sponsored his election to the senate and defecting to APC.
He attributed the decision to what he called prolonged and unresolved internal divisions within PDP at national level.
This, the senator said, had significantly impaired cohesion and effective functioning of the party.
“The persistent crisis has created a structural fracture within the party, affecting its national leadership and operational stability.
“I hereby formally notify the senate of my decision and my formal defection to the APC.
“This communication is intended to ensure full compliance with constitutional requirements and to place the senate on proper notice of the circumstances surrounding my resignation from the PDP and defection to the APC,” he said.
In his own letter, Iya said he was formally informing the senate of his decision to resign his membership of the PDP and officially defect to the APC with immediate effect.
“This followed the persistent crisis within the national level.
“The deepening of internal factions and the ongoing leadership tussles which resulted in multiple court cases have created uncertainty regarding the party’s stability and the possible prospect of the party in the forthcoming election.
“This informed my decision to withdraw my membership of the party and to defect to the APC,” he said.
To Bilbis, his decision to quit PDP and join APC was a difficult but necessary decision.
This, he said, came after extensive and wide consultations with his political associates as well as key stakeholders within his constituency and beyond.
“My primary allegiance remains to the good people of my senatorial district. I represent their collective aspiration for effective governance, and that is what is guiding this move.
“My decision is predicated on prolonged internal crisis in my former party, the PDP, and the need for alignment with the centre and to continue to support the national agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“I formally request that you direct the Clerk of the Senate to reflect this change in the records of the senate that I am no longer a member of the PDP but now belong to the APC,” he said.
In his remarks, Akpabio said that the current administration, before assumption of office, met a challenged economy, saying that the president had steadily brought reforms.
He said that the decisions on oil subsidy removal and harmonisation of exchange rate for the country were already bringing in fund into the consolidated revenue.
The senate president said that state governments were meeting their obligations because they were getting their funds in line with the constitution, adding that the sub-nationals were doing well.
According to him, APC is putting Nigeria on a trajectory of growth, total reformation and rebirth
