Despite the tact displayed over the past weeks by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, to dissuade them, 11 senators formerly of the PDP yesterday joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Among the senators that defected are Bukola Saraki, Mohammed Ndume, Danjuma Goje and Abdullahi Adamu. The senators communicated their decision to decamp to the APC in a letter addressed to the Senate President, David Mark. But there were indications yesterday that more senators could decamp in the coming weeks.
However, the new structure still gives the PDP majority status and may not affect the manner businesses are transacted within the senate.
The APC had of late rallied itself as the main opposition party to the ruling PDP and last year alone 37 PDP members of the House of Representatives defected to the APC. Five PDP governors had earlier moved to the opposition party on November 26.
The governors are Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
A Senator told our reporter that more senators would have defected today but for the appointment of Adamu Mu’azu as the new PDP chairman. Muazu is seen as a pacifist and stabilizing force who has the respect of many of the aggrieved members of the PDP. The former Bauchi State governor has already swung into action by holding meetings with different foundation members of the PDP who had voiced their anger and disenchantment with the status quo in the party.
