Three senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They are the representative of Adamawa North Senatorial District, Amos Yohanna; representative of Adamawa Central Senatorial District, Aminu Abbas; and representative of Zamfara North Senatorial District, Ikra Bilbis.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, read the letters of defection of the lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday.
Yohanna said he resigned his membership of the PDP due to internal divisions within the party.
In his letter of defection, he said: “I write to formally notify you that I have resigned my membership of the People’s Democratic Party, which sponsored my election to the Senate representing Adamawa North senatorial district, and to announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress.”
He said the decision followed prolonged internal divisions within the party at the national level.
He added: “This decision follows prolonged and unresolved internal divisions within the party at a national level, which have significantly impaired its cohesion and effective functioning of the party.”
Yohanna stated that the persistent crisis had created structural fractures within the PDP.
He said his defection was in line with the provisions of the constitution.
In his words: “In view of the foregoing and pursuant to Section 68 Subsection 1G of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, which permits a member of the Senate or a member of the Legislature to retain his seat where defection arises from a division in the political party at a national level, particularly that sponsored this election
