Drama as 14 APC senators, 37 Reps defect to PDP, ADC - PUNCH
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

A gale of defection on Tuesday hit the National Assembly with 37 members of the House of Representatives and 14 senators leaving the All Progressives Congress.

But President Muhammadu Buhari while reacting to the defection from the APC in the National Assembly said it would not impact negatively on the party.

Buhari said this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Shehu quoted the President as urging members of the APC not to despair over the development which he described as a “seasonal occurrence.”

He then wished the lawmakers who left the party well in their future endeavours.

The statement read, “President Buhari assured members of the APC of his total support and urged party faithful not to despair but to see the defections as a seasonal occurrence that happens on election eve.

“He expressed confidence that no harm or injury will be done to the party and its aspirations by the movements. President Buhari wished all the defected members the best in their future undertakings.”

Buhari also expressed his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as total willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party, for the benefit of the nation.

He noted that none of the defecting federal lawmakers had any specific grievances against him or his government.

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Convulsions in APC - VANGUARD
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

An alleged plot to remove the two presiding officers of the Senate, yesterday, could not stop the defection of 14 senators from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on a day of high drama that was heralded by the police siege to the homes of the two presiding officers.

The defection set a scenario of convulsion that put two different political parties controlling the Presidency and the Senate. The similar defection of 37 members of the APC to the PDP in the House of Representatives was, however, not enough to swing control of the House towards the PDP.

APC Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan however insisted yesterday that his party still retains the majority in the Senate. 

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Palace coup in Senate as PDP topples APC - DAILY SUN
Wed, 25 Jul 2018
The high wired intrigues and acrimonious power play between the two dominant political parties took a dramatic turn, yesterday, as 35 lawmakers defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to give the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) majority in the Senate.
At plenary, 12 lawmakers in the fold of the ruling party announced their defection to the PDP while two cross-carpeted to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). With the development, PDP has 56, APC 48, ADC two and APGA one.The gale of defection also spread to the House of Representatives where APC lost 37 members: 32 to the PDP, four to the ADC and one to the United Progressive Party (UPP).

Following the notices of defection read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara at plenary, the APC now has 186 members, PDP 160, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) five; ADC, four while Accord Party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the United Progressive Party (UPP) have one each. The seat of the late former deputy House Leader, Buba Jibril is still vacant, while Orker-Jev is yet to announce his new political party. President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read out names of the 15 senators, predominantly from the South West, North Central, North East and North West.

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PDP Takes Over Senate as 14 Senators Defect from APC - THISDAY
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

It was a bad day for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday as a gale of defection swept through the National Assembly with 14 of its leading senators defecting to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC also lost weight in the House of Representatives, where 32 of its members crossed carpeted to the side of the PDP.

The ruling party also lost four members to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while one other resign without stating which party he will join.

The political realignment reconfigured the federal legislature as the PDP took control of the Senate with 57 senators to the APC’s 49, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has one senator. Two seats are vacant.

The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, however, disputed this position Tuesday night, insisting that in spite of the defection, the APC still has 52 senators to PDP’s 50; APGA three; and two vacancies.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC attempted to downplay the gale of defections Tuesday, wishing the carpet crossers well in their future endeavours.

“I wish all of our party members who today defected, the very best in their future undertakings,” the president said in a statement by his Senior Media Assistant, Malam Shehu Garba, adding: “The APC has done its best to stop the defections, and I must commend the party leadership for working tirelessly to unite the party and position it for future victory.”

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APC keeps majority as 14 senators, 37 Reps defect - THE NATION
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

THE Defectors

Shaaba Lafiagi
Barnabas Gemade
Dino Melaye
Ubali Shittu
Rafiu Ibrahim
Isah Misau
Suleiman Hunkuyi
Abdullahi Danbaba
Usman Nafada
Suleiman Nazif
Rabiu Kwankwaso
All the above senators defected to the PDP
Abdul Azeez Nyako
Monsurat Sunmonu
Lanre Tejuoso
 

All the above senators defected to the ADC
 

There are 109 senators. Of the lot, one, Joshua Dariye (Plateau Central) is in jail and two are dead. One seat is vacant
Fourteen senators defected yesterday from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

But the APC keeps its majority with 52 senators. The PDP has 50. There are 109 senators. Two are dead and one, Joshua Dariye is in jail for corruption.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has three, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has two seats.

In the House of Representatives, 37 members quit the ruling party. There are now 192 APC members. The PDP has 156 members and APGA five. The APC keeps its majority.

Irreconcilable political differences between the senators and their governors may have pushed the lawmakers to take the action.

But the APC said it was all a storm in a tea cup. National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said the defection would not affect the party’s fortune in next year’s election.

President Muhammadu Buhari described it as “seasonal”.

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Why Saraki, Dogara ‘remained’ in APC - DAILY TRUST
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara are delaying their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to guard their positions and make a big impact when they quit the ruling party, sources told Daily Trust last night.
Some henchmen of Saraki and Dogara defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP yesterday.

In the Senate, 14 senators left APC. While 12 joined the PDP, two others joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Senators that joined the PDP are: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara); Shaba Lafiagi (Kwara); Bayero Nafada (Gombe); Ubale Shittu (Jigawa); Dino Melaye (Kogi); Abdullahi Danbaba (Sokoto); Isa Hamma Misau (Bauchi); Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi); Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna); Barnabas Gemade (Benue) and Lanre Tejuoso (Ogun).
Monsurat Sumonu (Oyo) and Abdulaziz Nyako (Adamawa) opted for the ADC.
With this, the APC has slim majority with 53 senators, while the PDP has 50. ADC and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have two senators each, bringing the total to 107 senators. Two seat are vacant in Bauchi and Katsina states following the demise of Senators Ali Wakili and Mustapha Bukar respectively.

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Defections: APC Maintains Majority In National Assembly NASS - LEADERSHIP
Wed, 25 Jul 2018

Despite the gale of defections that hit the federal legislature yesterday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) still maintains its control of the National Assembly with 52 members against 50 of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). About 14 Senators on the platform of APC defected from the party to the PDP, while a total of 37 members of the House of Representatives also announced their official defection from the APC to PDP. Senate President Bukola Saraki announced the defection of the lawmakers, while reading the letter written by the Senators informing the upper chamber of their decision to leave the APC. They defectors cited factionalisation of the APC as part of the reason they were leaving the APC, saying they would not continue to pursue their political careers under the ruling party. But the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, who opposed the defection, said the action of the affected lawmakers should be quarantined while

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/07/newspapers-review-stories-that-made-the-headlines-this-tuesday-morning-25-july-2018/

FTC !!! Nigeria will be great again