Oshiomhole hails Akpabio’s leadership as Senate Minority Leader and others dump opposition parties amid political realignment
By Rejoice Peterside
The Senate on Tuesday witnessed a major political shake up as Senator Ahmed Wadada formally confirmed his defection from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), alongside the Senate Minority Leader Osita Ngwu and Senator Anthony Yaro, who also left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further weakening the opposition bloc in the upper chamber.
The development unfolded during plenary after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read out a series of letters submitted by the lawmakers, formally notifying the chamber of their resignation from their former political parties and confirmation of their new political alignments.
Senator Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District, had earlier moved from the SDP to the APC at the state level since August last year. However, during Tuesday’s sitting, he clarified on the floor of the Senate that the decision to leave the SDP had already been taken months earlier, and that the letter being read was simply to formally notify the Senate and put the defection on record.
His explanation confirmed that the political shift was not a fresh development, but a formalization of an earlier decision already implemented at the state level.
With Wadada’s clarification and the reading of his letter, the SDP is now left without any representation in the Senate, effectively marking the collapse of the party’s presence in the upper chamber.
The Senate’s opposition structure has now been further reduced and currently stands at 16 senators. This comprises 4 senators from the PDP, 10 from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), 1 from the Accord Party, and 1 from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with the SDP now completely absent from the minority fold.
The session also featured two other significant defections to the ruling party.
Senator Osita Ngwu, the Senate Minority Leader representing Enugu West Senatorial District, announced his exit from the PDP, citing persistent internal instability within the party. He said the situation had made it increasingly difficult to function effectively while still serving his constituents.
Senator Anthony Yaro, who represents Gombe South Senatorial District, also dumped the PDP, pointing to similar internal crises as the reason for his decision.
Their defections were formally read and recorded during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Following the announcements, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, commended Akpabio’s leadership, attributing the wave of defections to the stability and direction he has brought to the Senate.
Oshiomhole said the growing movement of lawmakers reflects increasing confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda.
In his response, Akpabio urged lawmakers to prioritise national interest above party affiliation, stressing that legislative responsibilities must transcend political divisions.
He reminded senators that the Senate is an institution of national service and insisted that cooperation across party lines remains essential for effective governance.
Once you are in the Senate, the centre is the centre, Akpabio said, calling for unity and collective focus on national development.
The latest defections further reshape the balance of power in the upper chamber as the opposition continues to shrink amid ongoing political realignments within the National Assembly.
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