Olayiwola Matthew
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, sparked reactions in the Red Chamber after joking that the opposition coalition party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), was “dead” following a fresh wave of defections of lawmakers from the party.
Akpabio made the remark while presiding over plenary shortly after he announced the defection of two ADC Senators to other political parties, including the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Labour Party (LP).
Among those who switched allegiance was Victor Umeh of Anambra Central, who joined the NDC, citing internal crises and “unending litigation” within the ADC.
“Maybe all those defecting from ADC should just compile everything in one paper and bring, so that we don’t keep announcing, announcing, announcing.
Because I think ADC is dead,” Akpabio said, drawing reactions in the Red Chamber.
In a lighter tone, he questioned the frequency of defections by lawmakers, joking that some had changed parties multiple times within a short period.
“How many times can you defect in a month? Once. But some have done three times,” he said.
He also proposed a more coordinated system for handling defections, suggesting lawmakers could submit joint notices instead of individual letters to avoid what he described as a “daily ritual” on the floor.
During the sitting, Akpabio read a defection letter from Enyinnaya Abaribe, noting his movement from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to ADC and eventually to the LP.
“I think ADC is dead,” Akpabio said while reading Abaribe’s letter of defection on the floor of the Senate.
In his resignation letter, Umeh maintained that internal divisions within the ADC made his continued membership untenable. “I remain committed to contributing to the development of our nation, but this time through the NDC,” he stated.
The remarks come amid a broader political realignment in the National Assembly ahead of 2027 general election.
17 members of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, defected from ADC to NDC while another lawmaker opted for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
