Viral video purporting Senate President’s defection false, mischievous, says aide

Senate President said the clip making the rounds where he was said to have switched camp from APC to PDP is a doctored version of Senator Aliero’s defection 

By Mosope Michaels 

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has denied news of his purported defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP).

He made the clarification in a statement issued through his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, on Saturday, June 18. 

Senator Lawan said the clip making the rounds, where he was said to have switched camp from the ruling party, APC to the main opposition party, PDP was doctored. 

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He also said the true version of the video was that of Senator Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State who announced his defection on the senate floor.  

The statement read, “We have seen on the social media a video clip in which the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, purportedly announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The original video clip, which was mischievously edited to 26 secs, is a 3 mins 30 secs clip of the Senate President reading the letter by His Excellency, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State, informing his Distinguished senator colleagues at plenary of his defection from the APC to the PDP over issues in the state chapter of the APC.

“It is common knowledge that the Senate resumed from a recess on Tuesday and adjourned sitting on Wednesday to next Tuesday. 

“So how could the Senate President have made such announcement at plenary either on Tuesday or Wednesday without it being reported by journalists who covered the proceedings?

“The fact is that, at the commencement of the session on Tuesday, the Senate President read out some correspondences, one of which was the said letter written by Senator Aliero. 

“Senator Aliero was not the only senator that officially announced his defection this week from one party to another.

“It was the video clip of the Senate President reading out Senator Aliero’s letter that was doctored to give the wrong impression that Lawan has renounced his membership of APC.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ahmad Lawan is a committed member of the APC and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his membership of the party.

“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the video in reference as it is the handiwork of mischief makers.”

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