Senator Kelvin Chukwu of Enugu East has defected from the Labour Party to the APC, giving the ruling party a commanding two-thirds majority with 73 senators in the upper chamber
APC Tightens Grip on Senate, Attains Two-Thirds Majority as Enugu Senator Defects From LP
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has further consolidated its dominance in the Nigerian Senate following the defection of Senator Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District, from the Labour Party (LP) to the APC.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio formally announced Chukwu’s defection during Wednesday’s plenary session, bringing the APC’s total strength in the 10th Senate to 73 seats — securing a clear two-thirds majority in the upper chamber.
Senator Chukwu, who succeeded his late brother, Oyibo Chukwu, after the 2023 general elections, said his decision was driven by the deepening internal crisis within the Labour Party.
“The protracted crisis rocking the LP, which has led to its fractionalisation, is a development that is seriously affecting its members,” Chukwu explained while addressing his colleagues.
His exit leaves the Labour Party with just four senators, with Senator Okey Ezea (Enugu North) now the party’s only representative from Enugu State.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) currently holds 28 seats, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have one senator each, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retains two seats.
Wednesday’s defection adds to a growing trend of opposition lawmakers joining the ruling party in recent months.
Earlier, four PDP senators — Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Oluwole Olubiyi (Osun Central), Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East), and Samson Ekong (Akwa Ibom South) — also crossed over to the APC, citing internal divisions in their party.
Senator Bassey had invoked Sections 40 and 68(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution to justify his defection, referencing his constitutional right to freedom of association.
The string of defections continues to reshape the political balance in the National Assembly, with analysts warning that a near one-party Senate could erode the strength of opposition oversight and reduce legislative diversity. Read More
