Bukola Saraki, the president of the Nigerian Senate, has announced his decision to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
In a terse statement on Twitter on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, Dr. Saraki said, “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
— Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) July 31, 2018
Saraki’s announcement has been expected following recent events in the APC.
On Tuesday, July 24, 2018, fifteen senators announced their defection from the APC with 13 joining the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, while 2 joined the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
With this development, the ruling APC is now a minority in the Nigerian Senate with 44 senators. The People’s Democratic Party now has 66 senators. ADC has two senators, while APGA has one.
In a similar move, 37 members of the Nigerian House of Representatives have defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Thirty-two joined the PDP, while four joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). One later announced he was also leaving the APC but did not state his new party.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has issued a statement saying it accepts the defections of federal lawmakers which occurred at the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.
In an e-mailed statement to The Trent on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdulahi, the national publicity secretary of the APC, said that the party respects the “right of every citizen to political association” and urged for calm.
“APC remains in firm control of 25 states of the 36 states of the federation and maintains a clear majority in the federal House of Representatives and state assemblies,” Mr. Abdulahi declared in the brief statement.
It would appear that the APC’s political strength is waning with the decamping of the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom and the Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed. The two governors decamped from the APC to the PDP leaving APC “in control of 23 states”.
