Uproar in the Senate Over Ned Nwoko’s Defection to APC

“This matter is constitutional. Every legislator has the right to cross carpet, and our own rules follow the legislative routes outlined in the constitution”

Uproar in the Senate Over Ned Nwoko’s Defection to APC

There was a heated debate among senators on Wednesday following the defection of Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nwoko officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on January 30 through a letter addressed to the chairman of his local ward, Ward 8, in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

During Wednesday’s plenary session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Nwoko’s letter announcing his defection. The announcement, however, triggered intense debate among lawmakers.

The controversy centered on Section 68(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, which states that a lawmaker can only switch parties without losing their seat if there is a division within their original political party. While APC senators argued that the PDP was factionalized, and this justified Nwoko’s defection, opposition lawmakers, particularly from the PDP, insisted that the party remained united, making the move unconstitutional.

Minority Leader Abba Moro challenged Nwoko’s defection, stating that although the PDP was experiencing internal issues, it had not split. “As I am speaking to you now, Mr. President, there is no division in the PDP. We may be having issues, but there is no division in the rank and file or in the leadership of the PDP,” he said.

However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin pointed to the factions within the PDP, specifically referencing the camps led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. “Everybody knows in this country that there is a split in the PDP. We have the Wike faction and the Bala Mohammed faction. Even a child on the street knows this, so why is the minority leader saying otherwise? There is a faction, and what we have done is in line with our constitution,” Jibrin argued.

As the debate intensified, Akpabio intervened, acknowledging the crisis within PDP leadership and noting that the internal conflicts in the opposition party provided sufficient grounds for defection.

“Who is your national secretary? I mention this because the governors have their national secretary, and the other members also have their national secretary. I understand that when there is a division in the National Working Committee (NWC), any member of the party has the right to seek support elsewhere. This is a fundamental right that is constitutionally guaranteed,” he stated.

Moro, however, maintained his position, insisting that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was following a ruling from the Court of Appeal regarding its leadership dispute and, therefore, remained intact as a party.

“I want to emphasize that the PDP is a law-abiding institution. The Court of Appeal made a pronouncement about the party’s secretary, and we are adhering to that ruling until otherwise stated,” he continued.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele supported Nwoko’s decision to defect, arguing that this issue should not even be debated on the Senate floor but rather left to the courts.

“This matter is constitutional. Every legislator has the right to cross carpet, and our own rules follow the legislative routes outlined in the constitution. The minority leader’s argument contradicts itself. Whether there is a division within the PDP is not something that should be resolved on the floor of the Senate. They can take it to a court of law. It is evident, even to the blind, that there are significant divisions within the PDP today. Wike is leading one faction while Bala Mohammed is leading another,” Bamidele explained.

Despite these interpretations, Moro refused to acknowledge that the PDP was divided.