Some PDP senators have told us they’re planning to defect to APC— Lawan

Ahmed Lawan, senate majority leader, claims that some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disclosed their willingness to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with reporters after leading the All Progressive Congress (APC) caucus in the Senate to President Muhammmadu Buhari on Wednesday night, Lawan also said some of the 14 APC senators who defected to the PDP were also planning to return to the ruling party.

He said APC is still the majority party with 53 members, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the largest minority party with 48 senators and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with two senators.

“We have come to pay a courtesy call on the president, our leader. We told him of what happened yesterday in the senate and the national assembly with the defection of some of our colleagues from the APC to various political parties: PDP, ADC and APGA,” he said.

“We informed the president of how we stand in the senate. As at today, the APC caucus in the senate is 53 in number, followed by the other minority parties. The PDP is the largest minority party with 48 senators and then ADC with two senators, and we have two vacant seats both were occupied by APC senators who are late now.

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“There will be elections to fill those vacancies in August and by the grace of God, APC will win those seats and that will take our number to 55. Let me also say that even from yesterday, 24 hours into the defection, we had discussions with some of our colleagues who defected and they have shown their interest and willingness and readiness to retrace their steps. So, we are working very hard with our national leadership to ensure that we engage with our colleagues that defected and that we reach some understandings that will enable them to come back home very soon.

“Even the PDP senators, there are some that have shown willingness to come into the APC fold. Our party is working hard to ensure we engage them and enable them to come into the fold.

“What happened in the national assembly yesterday, particularly the senate, was supposed to be disagreement in the family but I think there was misjudgement. When you disagree, you don’t kill or break the entire house. You have to sit down and look for solutions. We believe that this family will soon get back all its members.

“We have resolved to continue to support the president and our administration to ensure that we fulfill all our campaign promises to Nigerians.”

 

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