By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Three more Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), raising the number to four in two days, on the political calculus of which party will grab federal power by hook or crook in 2023.
Senators Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North), Lawali Anka (Zamfara West), and Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North), made the leap on Wednesday, a day after Senator Hassan Gusau (Zamfara Central) resigned from the PDP.
Gusau’s resignation letter, which was read out at plenary by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, did not state his new party but it is clear he has nowhere else to go except the APC, the ruling party wooing him and others to weaken the opposition.
“My decision is necessitated due to the collapse of internal democracy and functionalism of the party from ward levels in Zamfara State,” Gusau wrote.
Letters the three new defectors wrote to Lawan, which he also read out at plenary on Wednesday, attributed their resignation from the PDP to internal crisis, tyranny, and leadership failure.
Ya’u, who was Deputy Minority Whip, wrote that his “decision” to defect “is necessitated by the endemic crisis that engulfed the Zamfara State chapter of the PDP, which led the national body to dissolve the State Exco of the party.
“This has negatively impacted effective representation of my constituents. Being a representative of my people, and having consulted widely with them, I decided to defect from the crises ridden party to a more formidable and peaceful party, the APC.”
Anka, Senate Services Committee Deputy Chairman, said his defection was also informed by the crises in the Zamfara PDP.
Nwaoboshi, Niger Delta Committee Chairman, pinned his resignation from the PDP on the implosion in the party, whose leadership he accused of tyranny, arbitrariness, and intolerance.
Lawan, who stopped midway while reading the letters because of interjections from PDP senators, remarked jokingly that more defections are underway.
“Distinguished Senator Utazi, I know this is not easy, but you know we have to learn to live with it, because many more will be coming here,” Lawan said.
Nwaoboshi’s letter reads in part: “I’ve formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). This decision and action is due to division at all levels of the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored my election into the Senate.
“The PDP in its entirety is imploding under huge yokes of factionalisation, arbitrariness, intolerance, tyranny and gross failure of leadership in ways that has made it impossible for my membership to continue in the party.
“This communication is made pursuant to Section 68 subsection (1g) of the [Nigerian] Constitution … for your information, guidance and record purposes.
He pledged his commitment to the “Ninth Senate Legislative Agenda under [Lawan’s] calm, steady leadership and absolute support” for the “APC-led” federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari.