- Akpabio joked that the ADC was “dead” following multiple defections in the Senate
- Lawmakers, including Victor Umeh, cited internal crises for leaving the party
- Fresh defections reflected broader political realignments in the National Assembly
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday sparked reactions in the upper chamber after joking that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was effectively “dead” following a series of high-profile defections by lawmakers.
Akpabio made the remark while presiding over plenary, shortly after the Senate formally announced the defection of several lawmakers to other political parties, including the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Labour Party (LP).
“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 in a light-hearted tone, drawing laughter and reactions from fellow senators.
He went further to question the frequency of political defections, remarking humorously that some lawmakers appeared to be switching parties multiple times within a short period. “How many times can you defect in a month? Once. But some have done three times,” he added.
The Senate President suggested a more coordinated approach to announcing defections, proposing that lawmakers moving to or from the same parties should submit a joint notification rather than making repeated individual declarations on the Senate floor. According to him, this would prevent the process from becoming what he described as a “daily ritual”.
During the sitting, Akpabio also read a defection letter from Enyinnaya Abaribe, highlighting his movement across multiple political platforms in recent years. “Note that Senator Abaribe has moved from APGA to ADC, and now he has moved from ADC to Labour Party,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Victor Umeh, one of the lawmakers who recently left the ADC, cited internal crises and “unending litigation” within the party as reasons for his decision to join the NDC. In his resignation letter, Umeh said the lingering divisions in the party’s leadership made his continued membership untenable.
The developments come amid a broader political realignment within Nigeria’s National Assembly. In the House of Representatives, more than a dozen lawmakers have also defected from the ADC to the NDC, further weakening the party’s presence in the legislature.
Analysts suggest that the wave of defections reflects deeper structural challenges within the ADC, while also signalling the growing influence of emerging political platforms ahead of future elections.