Senate President Godswill Akpabio has claimed that the number of opposition lawmakers in the Senate has dwindled significantly, leaving only about four or five senators outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpabio made the remarks on Thursday while speaking at the APC national caucus meeting in Abuja, where he disclosed that even the few remaining minority senators are considering crossing over to the ruling party.
“When we came in, the opposition had almost 50 members, but today, when I counted, there were about five or four left in the opposition,” he said.
According to him, some of the remaining opposition senators have privately approached him with intentions to defect. “Even those five members have whispered to me that I should take them to the President as they are prepared to join the APC,” Akpabio added.
The senate president urged party leaders to accommodate defectors fairly, cautioning against marginalisation of new members joining the APC from other parties.
“Let me appeal to all our leaders that all the political stakeholders coming in from other political parties must be given equal opportunities to thrive. There must not be any discrimination. Do your best not to leave anybody behind,” he said.
Despite the wave of defections, Akpabio noted that he does not support the idea of a completely one-party Senate. He explained that he had allowed some senators who defected to the APC at the state level but are yet to formally declare in the chamber to remain in the minority caucus, in order to preserve opposition presence.
Akpabio also commended President Bola Tinubu for the recent rescue of more than 100 children abducted in Niger State, while calling for the release of those still held captive.
“We thank the President for the release of over 100 children who were kidnapped very recently, and we pray to God to give him the ability and the enablement to release the remaining children to rejoin their families,” he said.
He further expressed sympathy with families of victims of recent attacks, including security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, and prayed for the repose of their souls.
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