Senate President Akpabio Reacts to Wave of Defections in ADC, Says Party Appears Dead
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday reacted to a series of defections from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting that the party appears to be losing political strength.
Akpabio made the remark during plenary after reading a resignation letter from Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South and formally announced his exit from the ADC.
In his letter, Abaribe said he had joined the Labour Party with immediate effect, citing internal uncertainties within the ADC, including ongoing legal disputes.
“Given the uncertainties concerning the ADC party with regard to the multiple lawsuits and court judgements, I have today resigned from the ADC and joined the Labour Party effectively immediately,” he wrote.
He, however, stressed that his decision was not personal and did not affect his relationship with party members.
“This has nothing to do with the leadership and members whom I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy close and solid relationships with,” he added.
Reacting, Akpabio suggested that future defections from the ADC should be presented in a more coordinated format to reduce repeated announcements on the Senate floor.
“All those defecting from ADC should just compile everything in one paper so that we don’t keep announcing,” he said, adding that the pattern of defections gives the impression of a party in decline.
When a colleague raised a question about the frequency of party switching among lawmakers, the Senate President noted that constitutional provisions guide such movements but said repetition on the floor was unnecessary.
“That’s why I said, let us compile all, so it doesn’t look like a daily ritual,” he said.
“If you are defecting from Labour, write the names of all of you. If you are going from ADC, write all of you. And if you are entering ADC, you do the same. It’s neater that way than reading one name at a time.”
The development comes amid a broader wave of defections in the National Assembly.
Earlier in the House of Representatives, 17 lawmakers also defected from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), further intensifying concerns over the party’s internal stability.