In what can be described as its first major strategic gain since its formation, the African Democratic Congress has inducted at least nine serving senators into its ranks.
The defection, which is certain to boost the political capital and fortune of the ADC, came amid perennial rifts and internal crises within opposition parties, for which the ruling All Progressives Congress has been repeatedly accused of instigating.
The nine senators who joined the ADC are from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party, LP, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance. APGA.
Their defection to ADC was made official during a plenary session at the National Assembly. The defection of the senators came barely a day after the House of Representatives amended the electoral act again and criminalised dual party membership. According to the new amendment, any person found guilty of being a member of two political parties faces up to two years in jail.
The senators who made the switch are:
1. Sen. Ireti Kingibe (FCT) – LP to ADC
2. Sen. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa South) – PDP to ADC
3. Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto South) – PDP to ADC
4. Sen. Binos Dauda Yaroe (Adamawa South) – PDP to ADC
5. Sen. Austin Akobundu (Abia Central) – PDP to ADC
6. Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) – APGA to ADC
7. Sen. Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) – LP to ADC
8. Sen. Tony Nwoye (Anambra North) – LP to ADC
9. Sen. Lawal Adamu Usman (Kaduna Central) – PDP to ADC
DAILY POST earlier reported that during plenary on Thursday, Kalu disclosed that six members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC,.
He also announced that six other lawmakers from the Young Progressives Party, YPP, and the Labour Party, LP, had defected to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The announcements were formally read on the floor of the House during plenary