Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro exchanged banter on the Senate floor on Tuesday after two senators from Taraba State defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senators Shuaibu Lau (Taraba North) and Haruna Manu (Taraba Central) formally left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further boosting the APC’s numerical strength in the 10th Senate.
Their defections were conveyed in separate letters read during plenary by Akpabio. In Manu’s letter titled Notification of Resignation, the lawmaker said his decision followed wide consultations and a reassessment of Nigeria’s political realities. Lau, in a similar letter, cited concerns over the internal direction of the PDP.
Both senators were greeted with applause from the APC caucus after the letters were read.
Akpabio then turned to the opposition benches and invited Moro to respond, while making light of the shrinking minority ranks.
Responding, Moro played down the political weight of the defections, describing them as a familiar pattern after elections.
“I feel a little sad that a few persons sitting on the same platform with me on the PDP side have suddenly decided to move to another platform with my mandate. But I don’t feel offended because their explanation, honestly, is incorrect. They said the decision was taken after wide consultations. Mr President, we are all here,” he said.
With the latest defections, the Senate’s composition now stands at APC – 80; PDP – 21; Labour Party – 2; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – 1; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) – 1; and African Democratic Congress (ADC) – 1.
Meanwhile, attention has turned to Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu East), the Minority Whip, who is reported to have resigned from the PDP and registered as an APC member in his ward in Enugu State.
The Minority Whip position is traditionally reserved for members of the opposition caucus. Critics argue that Ngwu’s continued occupancy of the office, despite his reported defection, undermines parliamentary norms and the integrity of the Senate’s leadership structure.
Observers say that by delaying a formal announcement of his defection on the Senate floor, Ngwu may still be enjoying the privileges attached to the Minority Whip position.
According to reports, he is expected to make his defection public in early March after concluding official matters tied to the office in late February.
In a recent interview, Ngwu confirmed that he had joined the APC.