The All Progressives Congress (APC) has increased its representation in the Senate to 73, following the defection of Senator Kelvin Chukwu from the Labour Party.
The Senate officially announced Chukwu’s defection during a plenary session, indicating yet another change in the makeup of the 10th National Assembly.
The senator, who serves the Enugu East Senatorial District, stated that his decision to defect was prompted by what he termed the disarray within the Labour Party.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his comments, urged opposition parties to reorganize and offer credible alternatives, cautioning that their present disorganization threatens the democratic vitality of the nation.
‘I desire a robust and dynamic opposition in Nigeria, but when they are fragmented, what can we do? Please, get your affairs in order. This is why INEC is registering additional political parties,” Akpabio remarked.
In agreement with the Senate President’s views, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele linked the increasing support for the APC to the government’s management of the economy.
“This transition in the Senate mirrors a wider national trend; the APC-led administration is making progress.
“Our foreign reserves are on the rise, and the GDP is exhibiting signs of consistent growth; these are evident indicators that the economy is recovering,” Bamidele stated.
With this recent development, the current allocation of seats in the Senate indicates that the APC holds 73 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 28, and the Labour Party (LP) has four.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has two senators, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) each have one.
