Bukola Saraki, who as Senate President is the third most senior politician in the country – made the comments to Reuters
On Tuesday, 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.
One of the senators initially listed among defectors to PDP, Adesoji Rilwan Akanbi (Oyo State), later told journalists that he remains a bonafide member of the APC.
In the House of Representatives, 37 lawmakers of the APC left the party, with 32 joining the PDP, and four from Oyo State joining the ADC. hours after 15 senators from Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party defected.
