PDP loses nine senators to APC, LP

By Ahmed Abubakar

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has lost nine of its members to the opposition parties, as eight members of the ruling party have defected to the opposition parties.

The affected senators are Senators Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi Central); Bassey Otu (Cross River South); Banabas Gemade (Benue North East); Mohammed Magoro ( Kebbi South); Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman ( Kogi Central); Helen Esuene (Akwa Ibom); Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East ); Ahmed Zannah (Borno Central ) and Saidu Alkali (Gombe North)

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Tuesday Enang said he would campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan but would work for the electoral victory of all candidates of his new party, the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming election in Akwa Ibom State.

His words, “I am working for APC to ensure that it wins governorship election down to any other position. I will only work for Jonathan for presidency.”

With the defection of the eight senators, the membership of the PDP has reduced to 64 in the red chamber, which has a total number of 109 Senators while the APC now has 41 members and other parties made the remaining five.

The defecting senators attributed their action to the aftermath of the PDP primaries, which they alleged were hijacked by the governors in collaboration with the national leadership of the party. This development led to their being denied the party’s return ticket to Senate which is the bane of the crisis.

In a related development, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Jerry Manwe, has on Tuesday defected to the Social Democratic Party.

Manwe who blamed his defection on alleged manipulation of the last primaries of the PDP in his home state of Taraba , said, “I am now a member of the SDP, not PDP anymore.”