Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday mocked opposition lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber following the defection of Kelvin Chukwu, senator representing Enugu east, from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chukwu announced his defection during the plenary, citing a prolonged crisis within the LP as his reason.
His defection raised the APC’s strength in the 10th senate to 73 members, giving the ruling party a two-thirds majority and tightening its control of the upper chamber.
Akpabio took a swipe at opposition parties, saying the wave of defections reflected internal disunity within their ranks.
“I want a strong and vibrant opposition in Nigeria,” he said.
“But where they are not able to organise themselves and all the political parties are in tatters, then the right thing for them to do is to join me so that we can together move this country forward.
“We are not going to have a one-party system. That’s why INEC is registering more parties.
“Please, put your house in order. I have been looking at the way you are getting depleted on a daily basis, and I am in total sympathy with what is going on.
“The PDP is on the ground. The umbrella is torn. The Labour Party is in tatters. Accord Party is no more. The ADC even crashed before it took off.”
Akpabio congratulated APC senators on “gaining a strong senatorial district in Enugu,” before asking Moro to respond.
Responding, Abba Moro, the senate minority leader, insisted that the opposition remained united despite recent defections.
“I want to say with due respect that you are the president of the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I respect you, sir,” Moro said.
“Without prejudice to some achievements that Mr President has made, I want to say that no matter the number that are here, we are capable of holding our own.”
The senate minority leader added that those defecting to the ruling party were simply exercising their rights.
“But I want to wish my brother and friend, Kelvin, who has just left the third row here to go to the last row there, good luck,” he said.
“When it was announced that he was going and had made adequate consultations, I asked the question, ‘Who has he consulted?’
“Because he didn’t talk to me. I do know that my brother came here on the back of the Obidient Movement. He came here on a sympathy vote. But that is a story for another day.
“This side is becoming too full, and it should be of concern to you. For the rest of us that are here, Mr President, we are satisfied that we are still here, and we will try to remain here until 2027.”
Chukwu’s defection further reduced the LP’s representation in the senate to four members, leaving Okey Ezea (Enugu north) as the only senator from Enugu state on the platform of the opposition party.
The PDP currently has 28 seats, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have one senator each.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retains two senators.
