BREAKING: Kebbi Senators Dump PDP For APC, Citing Party Crisis And Leadership Failure

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

In a major political realignment, all three senators from Kebbi State have defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The senators who made the move on Tuesday, cited internal crises and leadership failures within the PDP.

The defectors, Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), and Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), submitted their resignation letters, which were read on the Senate floor by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin during plenary.

Senator Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State and founding member of the APC, criticized the PDP for being “disconnected from the people” and plagued by internal divisions.

He stated that the APC’s focus on transformation, youth empowerment, and national security influenced his decision to return to the party.

Senator Abdullahi, a former Senate Leader, explained that he had initially left the APC in 2022 due to internal disputes in Kebbi State but decided to return after Governor Nasir Idris resolved the conflicts. He described the PDP as “in disarray” following its 2023 election loss.

Senator Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, pointed to security improvements in his constituency as a key factor in his defection.

He noted that over 100 villages previously occupied by bandits had been liberated due to military operations, making APC the better choice for development.

The Senate chamber was packed with high-profile APC figures, including National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, and several party officials.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele welcomed the defectors, stating that their move was based on conviction, not coercion, and aligned with national interest.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin commended Governor Idris for fostering unity among Kebbi’s senators.

With the latest defections, the APC now holds 68 seats in the 10th Senate, while the PDP’s numbers shrink to 30. Other parties’ standings are: Labour Party (LP) – 5, Social Democratic Party (SDP) – 2, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) – 1 and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – 1

Two seats remain vacant: Anambra South (following Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s death in 2024) and Edo Central (vacated by Senator Monday Okpebholo after becoming Edo governor in September 2024).

This defection further consolidates the APC’s dominance in the Senate, raising questions about the PDP’s stability ahead of 2027 elections.