The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to institute court cases against federal and state legislators elected on its platform but who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution (1999 as amended) states that: “A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if, being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected: Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member, or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”
A similar provision governs defection of members of the National Assembly.
A top official of the PDP who noted that there was no division in the party to warrant the defections told Saturday Tribune on Friday that the party had activated that provision of the law and would see the cases to a logical conclusion.
He spoke as three senators elected on the platform of the PDP defected to the APC on Friday.
The PDP had recently declared its intention to challenge in court what it described as the trading away of its electoral mandates following the defections of top party members of the party, including governors, to the APC.
This was part of the resolutions reached at a recent meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) presided over by the acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.
The party leadership condemned the mass defections as a betrayal of the people’s mandate and vowed to initiate legal and political steps to reclaim its lost ground.
In a significant political realignment, all three serving senators from Kebbi State on Friday announced their defection from the PDP to the ruling APC following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The senators — Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) — were accompanied to the meeting by the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Their defection marked a major political shift in Kebbi State and is expected to strengthen the APC’s presence in both the state and the National Assembly.
Present at the meeting were key political figures from the North West, including Kebbi State governor Dr. Nasir Idris; Sokoto State governor, Ahmad Aliyu, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu.
Analysts say the high-level defection signals growing consolidation within the ruling party as it positions itself for future legislative and executive priorities, both in Kebbi and at the federal level.
The National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has assured Nigerians that the recent influx of defectors into the ruling party — including the three sitting senators from Kebbi State — will be smoothly managed in line with the party’s constitution and established mechanisms.
Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after leading the defecting lawmakers to meet with President Tinubu on Friday, Ganduje said the APC remains a disciplined and structured party capable of absorbing new members without disruption.
“Our constitution is very clear about this, and beyond that, we have the political dexterity to manage such affairs,” Ganduje said. “So, I assure you there will be a smooth integration.”
The meeting followed the decision by Senators Aliero, Abdullahi and Maidoki — all elected on the platform of the PDP — to defect to the APC.
Ganduje revealed that the senators’ official defection would be announced on the floor of the Senate in the coming days. “By Tuesday, you will see what will happen in the Red Chamber,” he said.
Describing the defections as strategic, Ganduje said they were the outcome of weeks of behind-the-scenes consultations and reflected growing confidence in the APC’s leadership under President Tinubu.
“This is part of President Tinubu’s vision that the APC must strengthen itself democratically to broaden our base, not just in numbers, but in quality and capacity,” he stated.
He added that President Tinubu had welcomed the senators’ decision and endorsed their inclusion into the party.
Addressing concerns that the surge in defections could tilt Nigeria toward a one-party system, Ganduje dismissed the fears as unfounded.
“A one-party state is not imposed; it emerges when people freely choose where they believe governance works best. If other parties see the positive impact of APC leadership and choose to join us, that is democracy at work,” he said.
Drawing from global examples, Ganduje noted, “China is one of the strongest economies and is a one-party system. We are not advocating that here, but if Nigerians, through their choices, move in that direction, we cannot quarrel with it.”
He also critiqued Nigeria’s fragmented political landscape, suggesting that too many parties can impede effective governance. “Too many cooks spoil the soup; too many political parties spoil governance,” he said.
Ganduje reaffirmed APC’s commitment to democratic values, assuring that every new member would be accommodated within the party’s broad leadership framework.
The APC has recently recorded a steady stream of defections from opposition parties at both federal and state levels, further consolidating its grip on national politics as the Tinubu administration marks its second year in office.
Nigerian Tribune
