Senate Deputy Minority Whip and senator representing Sokoto South in the 9th senate senator Ibrahim Danbaba has officially decamped from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The latest defection move was conveyed in a letter read by the president of the senate Ahmad Lawan during plenary on Wednesday.
Senator Danbaba in the letter says , his decision is anchored on the continuing multifaceted crisis that have bedeviled the PDP, especially at the zonal level which has created not only credibility problems, but has undermined party discipline, cohesion and focus.
He added that the situation at the state level has not helped matters either as depicted by lack of political sanity, focus and credible leadership.
He furher noted that ,he has in APC, the political ideology that is in consonance with his personal political philosophy. Which he believes is the best to meet the expectations and aspirations of his constituents.
Attempts by Senators Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT) and Lilian Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central), to stop Danbaba’s defection were unsuccessful as the Senate President ruled them out of order.
Senator Ekwunife, while citing Section 68(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended requested that Danbaba’s seat be declared vacant.
The Senate President, however, ruled her out of order, explaining that the reasons given by Senator Danbaba were valid and excusable under the law.
Danbaba, was nominated by the PDP on July 15, 2021, for the position of Deputy Minority Whip, following the defection of the former Deputy Whip, Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u, representing Zamfara North from the PDP to the APC.
Danbaba’s defection brings the total number of APC Senators in the upper chamber to 71, and PDP 37.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
