The senator representing Kano South Senatorial District under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Kawu Sumaila, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read the letter of the lawmaker’s defection at plenary on Wednesday.

According to Mr Sumaila in his letter, his decision to leave the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.

The letter is titled, “Notification of defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP,) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He stated, “Pursuant to section 68, subsection 1 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to the Senate President on behalf of the Senate. I write to formally notify the Senate through your esteemed office of my defection from the NNPP to the APC, the largest party in Africa. My decision to bid goodbye to the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional. Over the past months, I have observed a growing number of litigation has practically torn the party apart and left its structure fractured. All of which clearly centred on issues of party disunity, functional leadership, and the legitimacy of its operations. These legal battles have not only eroded internal cohesion but have created parallel and conflicting authorities within the party.

The lawmaker added that a further manifestation of the division was the existence of multiple factions each with its own distinct party logo.

He noted that this underscored the depth of the division and reflected a clear and public splintering of the party’s identity in both form and substance, as the party was divided in form and substance.

“Therefore, in the spirit of democratic accountability and in line with my constitutional right, I have moved to APC, a national platform, an international platform, which I believe will better support my legislative responsibilities and aspirations of the good people of my senatorial district,” he said.

With the defection of Sumailia to APC from the NNPP, the number of senators on the platform of the NNPP has reduced to two.

Senators on the platform of the APC has now increased to 65, while the PDP has 33, Labour Party, five, SDP, two and APGA one, bringing the total number of senators to 107, with two seats vacant.

The two vacant seats are those of Anambra South occasioned by the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in 2024 and Edo Central, following the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as governor of Edo State.

 (NAN)