The ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Senate have risen to 73, following the defection of Senator Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party.
The Senate formally announced Chukwu’s defection during plenary, marking another shift in the composition of the 10th National Assembly.
The lawmaker, who represents Enugu East Senatorial District, says his defection followed what he described as the disorganisation within the Labour Party
But the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, called on opposition parties to reorganise and provide credible alternatives, warning that their current disarray poses a threat to democratic vibrancy in the country.
‘I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria, but when they are in tatters, what can we do? Please, put your house in order. That’s why INEC is registering more political parties,” Akpabio stated.
Echoing the Senate President’s sentiments, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele attributed the growing support for the APC to the administration’s handling of the economy.
“This shift in the Senate reflects a broader national trend; the APC-led government is working.
“Our foreign reserves are improving, and the GDP shows signs of steady growth; these are clear indicators that the economy is bouncing back,” said Bamidele.
With the latest development, the current distribution of seats in the Senate shows that the APC has 73 members, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 28, and the LP has four.
While the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has two senators, the Social Democratic Party (SDP)and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have one each.
In another development, the Senate on Wednesday swore in two new senators: Joseph Ikpea, APC, for Edo Central, and Emmanuel Nwachukwu, APGA, as Senator for Anambra South.
The swearing-in of Ikpea and Nwachukwu followed the bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to fill the vacant seats in the two Senatorial Districts.
