Deborah Akinyosoye
Four Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to represent their various senatorial districts in the present tenth Senate have formally dumped their party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, read their separate letters in the chamber where they cited irreconcilable differences in the opposition PDP as reason for their cross-carpeting.
Akpabio, who read the letters, authorised that they should be documented by the Clerk of the Senate.
The Senators who decamped formally on Wednesday are Senators Francis Fadahunsi, Osun East and Oluwole Olubiyi, Osun Central.
Others are Senators Aniekan Bassey, Akwa Ibom North East and Samson Ekong, Akwa Ibom South.
Following the defection of the four Senators, the updated composition of the Senate now stands as follows: APC 70, PDP 28; Labour Party 5, NNPP 1, SDP 2 and APGA 1.
The National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige and some members of the House of Representatives were at the hallowed chamber in solidarity with the party following the defection.
Details later…